I am The Path

Seeing Gandr 'protecting' Anak, Endorsi couldn't help but scrunch up her nose slightly, hands on her hips as she said, "There is no reason to glare at me. Everything I've said is the truth. Anak isn't even her real name and she certainly hasn't earned the name Jahad. Everyone else has to put in a ridiculous amount of effort to obtain the blood of Jahad. That imposter got-"

Without waiting for Endorsi to finish, Gandr's expression became even more severe as he stated, "I don't want to hear it. I'm tired of hearing people blame and resent others for circumstances beyond their control. Just because you chose to become a Princess of Jahad, that doesn't give you the right to look down on others just for being born. Stop being petty."

Feeling like she had taken some kind of mental damage, Endorsi stumbled backward a bit, her face paling for a brief moment before she shouted, "Hey! I'm just trying to warn you guys! I didn't want to see that stupid lizard get killed trying to act cocky! Pulling stunts like what happened during the Crown Game isn't going to help with her revenge! Don't be such a jerk, you fluffy-eared brat!"

Following her outburst, Endorsi stamped her foot on the ground a few times, creating several cracks in the reinforced metal surface due to her high-heels. Then, with a loud 'hmph!', she turned around and stormed off with her hands balled into fists.

Surprised by unexpected reaction, Gandr just stared blankly in the direction of Endorsi's retreat as Anak remarked, "That woman has a screw loose inside her head..."

Finding Anak's comment rather amusing, Gandr issued a light snicker while shaking his head. Then, with a slightly serious expression on his face, he turned to face her and asked, "Are you okay...?"

Feeling the same incongruous feeling as earlier, Anak frowned in response to Gandr's words, asking, "Why are you being so nice to me? What kind of game are you playing?"

Though she didn't sense any hostility at all from Gandr and the rest of his team members, Anak felt it was strange how all three of them seemed to treat her kindly. It made her feel more than a little uncomfortable, her mind telling her to remain cautious despite her instincts telling her it was okay to trust them.

In response to Anak's question, Gandr performed the characteristic ear flop of a Vanargandr, head tilted to the side as he asked, "Is there something wrong with being nice to people? My Master has always told me that we should do our best to help others. Unless it forces me to compromise on my own integrity and ideals, I try to be nice to everyone I meet. There is already so much negativity in the world. Why add more?"

Surprised by Gandr's words, Anak, once again, found herself at a loss as to how she should respond. She had already observed him getting along relatively well with several others so it didn't seem like he was trying to be deceitful. Despite this, she couldn't shake the feeling he was hiding something from her, almost like he was putting on an act to try and fool her. The only thing that didn't make sense about this was that there was simply no reason for him to do so, as, at his current level, Gandr could kill her without any effort...

Further surprising the seriously confused girl, Gandr placed his hand atop her head faster than she could react, lightly caressing her dark-brown hair as he said, "You must have had it rough to be so fearful of trusting others. Don't worry, even if you can't fully trust me, I will still look after you when I'm not fulfilling my other duties. You can also go to Phae if you need advice. She might be a little scary at times, but she always helps those who ask."

With decades passing since the last time she had her head pat, Anak briefly turned statuesque in response to Gandr's unexpected action. It was only after he had finished speaking that she made a full recovery, her expression becoming a deadpan as she smacked his hand away and asserted in a dull monotone, "Don't touch me. I'm not a child."

While shaking away the numbness from his hand, Gandr reacted with a light chuckle and a roll of the eyes before saying, "I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat."

Though she didn't like being told what to do by someone much younger than her, Anak couldn't prevent her stomach from grumbling in response to Gandr's words. This caused her deadpan to become even more prominent, but, despite her best efforts, she was unable to prevent a very light blush from coloring her cheeks. It didn't help that Gandr immediately laughed at her expense, his voice giving her a very strong urge to string him up and beat him...

---

After several hours of silent meditation, Vahn's concentration was once again interrupted by a soft *pitta-pon*. In response, he immediately expanded his domain to sense who was outside his door, his expression showing visible intrigue for a brief moment before melting into a mask of calm as he picked up the remote allowing entry into the room.

Without showing any surprise at being let in so easily, the red-haired woman on the other side of the door stepped fearlessly across the threshold.

Seeing the woman without her full-body tights on, an appreciative shimmer flashed across Vahn's eyes. If he had any preference at all, it would be that he always had a thing for red-heads, especially when they had wild and free-flowing hair. This woman, in particular, had characteristics very similar to Hephaestus, the key differences being that her hair was much longer and her bosom was slightly smaller. She even had an eye-patch covering her right eye due to having refused Phae's treatment during the Crown Game...

Though he was feeling slightly reminiscent, Vahn didn't allow it to show on his face, plainly stating, "Speak. Why have you come here?"

As if nothing in the world could surprise or perturb her, the woman just placed her hands into the front pocket of her hoodie before casually replying, "I had noticed it before, but I wanted to confirm something. Tell me, how is it that you and your companions do not have a fate? I have tried seeing the paths around you several times, but all I see is darkness..."

Vahn already had his suspicions, but, based on the woman's words, he could easily intuit that she was a Guide, an exceptionally rare existence within the Tower. Since there were typically only two tribes associated with the Guide Position, Silver Dwarves and Red Witches, Vahn could assume she was a member of the latrer for rather obvious reasons. With that in mind, he habitually stroked his beard as he stated, "So my suspicions were correct...you are a Guide..."

Without trying to deny it, the woman replied with a curt nod before answering, "I am Hwa Ryun, a member of the Red Witches. Though I have only recently started my pilgrimage, I am, indeed, one of the Tower's Guides..."

Sensing something 'wrong' with the woman's words, Vahn couldn't help but squint his eyes slightly, an action that resulted in Hwa Ryun paling slightly. Despite this, she made no attempt to avert her eye or flee, standing her ground in the hopes of ascertaining the truth.

Though he got the distinct impression the woman was lying to him, Vahn decided against trying to pressure her, his expression relaxing as he explained, "It is simple, Hwa Ryun of the Red Witch tribe. The reason you cannot see the path I walk is because I am the only one who can decide my path. I am not bound by fate nor destiny; I shape it through my words and actions...does that satisfy your curiosity?"

Now with visible beads of sweat on what little of her brow was exposed, Hwa Ryun offered a smile in response before saying, "You're a real monster...". Immediately afterward, however, she asked, "I wonder if you are willing to answer a few questions of mine? I can also answer anything you might be curious about. As an Irregular, I'm certain you could benefit from the knowledge of a Guide..."

Without denying the woman's claims, Vahn casually nodded in response before pulling a chair out of his Inventory with a wave of his hand. This caused Hwa Ryun to gulp, but, rather than flee from the room, she smoothed out her rather plain-looking skirt before taking a seat and asking, "What is your purpose? Why have you decided to climb the Tower?"

Before answering the woman's questions, Vahn produced a kettle from his Inventory, filling his cup with tea as he explained, "I will answer your questions. In exchange, you will also answer them. I'm sure you've already noticed, but I have the ability to see through falsehoods and deceit. I might not be able to know what you are lying about, but I can tell when you are lying. Your ability to see the paths will not help you here, Guide. If you intend to play games with me, don't expect me to ignore it the next time I catch you altering the paths of others..."

Understanding the meaning behind Vahn's words, Hwa Ryun's eyes widened as she asked, "You can see the paths...?"

Rather than answer, Vahn merely smiled in response to Hwa Ryun's question before adding, "If your question would not provide me with any new information, do not expect me to answer. Now, have you accepted my terms?"

Though she felt like she was walking into a trap, a known flaw of most Guides was that they were always inextricably drawn to things they couldn't see. They generally lived their entire lives with a certain level of surety, their ability to read the paths even revealing the circumstances of their own deaths. As a result, they neither feared nor tried to avoid their own death, accepting everything as the machinations of fate, accepting the unique role they had been given.

After a brief moment of consideration, Hwa Ryun nodded her head, stating, "I accept." in a resolute tone.

Finding the woman's reaction rather amusing, Vahn's smile became slightly more prominent as he answered, "My purpose is to reunite with my family and protect the things in life worth protecting. I climb the Tower, not to reach the top, but to ascend to a place far higher. At your current level, you would not be able to comprehend the truth of which I speak. All you really need to know is that the Tower is actually a 'very small' place, a construct fundamentally incapable of holding something like me..."

Sensing no falsehoods in Vahn's words, Hwa Ryun could only hide the trembling of her hands by keeping them firmly tucked within her front pocket. She got the impression that Vahn wasn't really moving up the Tower, merely passing through. His destination was far beyond the reach of others, far beyond the petty squabbles and political struggles within the Tower...

Suddenly feeling as though her throat was very parched, Hwa Ryun instinctually looked toward the pot of tea only to find a cup literally manifesting in front of her. This caused her to feel even more nervous as she couldn't even comprehend how Vahn was able to accomplish these feats. He didn't seem to be manipulating the surrounding Shinsu; the objects just manifested out of thin air with no warning whatsoever.

After consuming half the contents of her cup in a single gulp, Hwa Ryun couldn't stop herself from exhaling a cool sigh. The tea Vahn had provided for her was some kind of honey-mint tea, its taste both sweet and refreshing. It also seemed to have a mysterious calming property, as, immediately after consuming the fragrant substance, Hwa Ryun felt as though all her tensions were gradually fading away.

Without worrying that the tea was poisoned, Hwa Ryun finished the contents of her cup before deciding to uphold her end of the agreement, explaining, "My purpose is to orchestrate a series of events that lead to the downfall of Jahad. My reason for climbing the Tower is to Guide those with the capability to kill the King. The Tower has stagnated under the rule of Jahad and the Ten Great Families. Rather than climb to the top, they have sealed the path, perverting the purpose of the Tower for their own selfish gain. Even if I am ultimately fated to die before the journey has come to an end, I will continue walking this path in the hopes that the False God is forced from his throne."

Since she could have easily concealed the full extent of her purpose and goals, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little surprised by Hwa Ryun's bold statement. It took a considerable amount of restraint for him not to burst out laughing, not because he thought her claims were ridiculous, but because it sounded like a lot of fun. He had already heard a bit about Jahad and the Ten Great Families during Gandr's discussion with Endorsi, so, even if he didn't really care about their politics, it was only ever a matter of time before Vahn went to war against the Jahad Empire...

Noticing the glimmer of excitement contained within Vahn's eyes, Hwa Ryun could feel her heart beating at an inordinately fast pace. She couldn't see the path he was walking, but her instincts told her the man before her was going to flip the Empire on its head. Her original purpose had been to manipulate events so that Baam was given proper motivation to climb the Tower, but, now that she was sitting before this man, The Sage Dragon Emperor, Hwa Ryun was experiencing doubt for the first time in her life.

Eager to learn the truth, Hwa Ryun could hardly contain herself as she stared directly into Vahn's eyes and asked, "Do you intend to kill Jahad and the Ten Great Warriors?"

Though it was a question he wasn't compelled to answer, as he already knew what Hwa Ryun's response would be, Vahn couldn't fully restrain his excitement, smiling as he stated, "The Aldrnari Empire has always placed the people before everything else. We will never turn a blind eye to the injustices others ignore. If the Jahad Empire is as corrupt as it seems...we will burn it to the ground and open the path for all those who would follow after."

Feeling the aura radiating from Vahn's body, Hwa Ryun's heartbeat reached a crescendo. She wasn't able to explain it, but something about the man compelled her to believe in his words. It was like he 'knew' he would succeed, not that he 'thought' he might, but that it was something that was bound to happen; an absolute. There was no arrogance or hubris within his words, just sheer, uncorrupted, force of will...

Guides were supposed to act as the torchbearers that led others through the darkness, showing the way towards the future and subtly influencing its outcome. Hwa Ryun considered herself a meager flame that was meant to be extinguished once it had fulfilled its purpose. Vahn, however, gave off the impression similar to the stars, bathing the world in their light during the day and guiding those who knew how to read them during the night.

Though the fables claimed it was impossible to reach the stars, no matter how far you stretched out your hand, Hwa Ryun felt it would take very little effort to reach out and touch the one sitting right in front of her. Despite this, his luminance didn't diminish in the slightest, bathing her in its radiance and inspiring a feeling she never felt before: hope. She was not afraid of death, far from it, but there was a tiny voice in the back of her mind telling her that, if she following this guiding light, even the fate of the Guides could be altered...

The moment that thought crossed her mind, Hwa Ryun recalled the suffering of her sisters and the purpose she had been given. She was meant to guide the Child of Destiny, but, as none of the paths had previously intersected with Vahn, she could no longer be absolutely certain of the future. What she did know was that the man in front of her was guaranteed to shape the future of the Tower, so, without any hesitation, even ignoring the fact she was wearing a skirt, Hwa Ryun kneeled down, her head lowered as she asserted, "My God...my Emperor..."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gandr is a sly shota (OwO)...','Vahn and his red-head fetish...','The guiding light the illuminates all paths...')

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