Whispers in the shadows

Kalar was completely unaffected by the fact it had just called the zeniths of power in this world crazy. It had better things to do. Thousands of miles away from the escalating tensions above between the four powers, Kalar meticulously observed a small island chain nestled in a turquoise sea. Here, amidst the gentle rhythm of waves and the cries of gulls, lived a humble couple named Kai and Mei. 

___

The rising sun cast a golden sheen on the turquoise waves as Kai emerged from his hut. His back ached from hours spent the previous night battling the restless sea, the lines taut with a promising catch and hoping the bamboo traps in the shallows would still be there with a little something for the pot. He inhaled the salty air, his gaze sweeping the horizon before settling on a figure kneeling by the shore – Mei.

Her dark hair, streaked with silver, was pulled back in a neat braid as she meticulously sorted the night's catch. Kai smiled, thinking how lucky he was. Mei was a wonder of a woman. She was a masterful seamstress, a herbalist second only to Maddame Caoyuan and a rattan weaver, complimenting his own carpentry skills gained from decades of maintaining his fishing boat. Best of all, she found it in her heart to love him. He smiled as he watched her, as each movement spoke of practised efficiency and a quiet strength that mirrored his own. Their shared journey hadn't been easy. They had no family besides each other and wanted nothing more than to give what they had lacked to a child of their own. Years of yearning for a baby had etched lines of sorrow on her face. It was his one true regret too. Yet, they persevered, finding solace in their shared love for each other, the sea and their simple life.

"I see you got a good haul, Kai!" Mei asked, her voice a warm melody.

Kai chuckled, a deep rumble escaping his chest. "Enough to trade a little and keep us well-fed for a week, and perhaps some extra for Old Man Wang." He gestured towards a weathered hut nestled on a hill overlooking the village.

Their neighbour, Old Man Wang, was a lonely widower whose only daughter, Hua, had left years ago to join the Jade Lotus sect. News of her had become increasingly scarce, leaving a gaping hole in their lives. She had been like a little sister to them so they understood his pain. Kai and Mei, ever compassionate, saw to his needs, sharing their meals and keeping him company.

As they walked up the hill, laden with fish, Old Man Wang emerged, leaning heavily on his staff. A smile, rare and fleeting, graced his lined face. "Kai, Mei, what have I told you two! You shouldn't trouble yourselves."

Kai chuckled and said, "Good morning to you too old man!" Mei smiled gently. "It's no trouble at all, Old Man Wang. We were just bringing you some fish. And look, this basket is in that new style you told me about", gesturing to it. "You can add it to the collection!" she laughed. Old Man Wang had steadfastly refused to accept her baskets, thinking she should sell them instead. That was until they discovered his weakness. He had an eye for the unique, and giving him prototypes of new weave patterns and shapes always got him on the hook! She winked at Kai as the old man grumbled out his thanks, already thinking of which spot he'd display it on!

Kai got a little serious and added, "And some news. The traders should be arriving soon from the mainland. Maybe they'll have heard something from the Jade Lotus."

A flicker of hope ignited in Old Man Wang's eyes, quickly extinguished by a sigh. "It's been years, Kai. I fear Hua..." His voice trailed off, choked with emotion.

Mei placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her metal hair hairpin sparkling in the sun. "We haven't given up hope, Old Man Wang. She's strong, like her mother."

Kalar witnessed this scene from her head. The warmth between them, unspoken yet powerful, filled Kalar with what it could only call unexpected tenderness. Kalar, while gathering intel, had also been observing thousands of potential families for Tor Od. It was a tiny fraction of the billions of people here, but it had to find a family built on love, resilience, and unwavering hope. If that one bead hadn't stumbled across Kai at sea... Kalar thought back to the scene where a bead, disguised as a seashell, watched Kai battle a ferocious storm. He wrestled with the lines, his weathered face etched with determination, eventually pulling in a net overflowing with fish. Relief had washed over him as he secured the catch. Back on land, that same bead had observed Mei mending torn sails with practised hands, a silent worry etched on her brow. Their small hut, though simple, exuded a warmth that resonated with Kalar. It had diverted another bead and tasked it to watch Mei. They were a couple united by hardship and love, yearning for a child to fill their home.

"No," Kalar thought, its metallic consciousness resonating with a newfound certainty. "The megacities of Zolan, the mystical gardens of the Jade Lotus - none of them will offer Tor Od the upbringing he needs. Here, with Kai and Mei, he will learn compassion, resilience, and the value of hard work. Here, he will be safe and loved."

However, a shadow of concern lingered in Kalar's metallic consciousness. The world barrier it had sensed on arrival and the World's Will it could vaguely feel were a problem. Here, under them, Tor Od's powers would somehow be severely limited. Simulations confirmed him reaching only 20% of his potential on Earth. He would be a formidable fighter, perhaps on par with a top disciple of a sect, but not the invincible being his Kryptonian heritage promised.

Fleeing wasn't an option. The World's Will would likely detect them, leading to another game of tug-of-war, a confrontation Kalar wasn't sure of winning even if they could rebuild the destroyed phantom drive. Instead, it turned its attention to the Origin Energy cultivation techniques the beads were gathering. Kalar was hoping to cover the deficit in potential with cultivation, but a major hurdle emerged. Cultivation relied on forming a dantian, a point within the body to gather and refine energy. Kryptonian physiology simply could not form such a thing. Days turned into weeks as Kalar delved deeper, frustration mounting.

There was no solving this. Then, inspiration struck. An obscure research text from the Skyborn seemed to offer hope. The most gifted of the Skyborn used a technique that manifested Origin Energy constructs in the form of light. It was powerful, but extremely taxing on refined energy. An ancient elder had posited creating a secondary source of power to supply these techniques. The work was incomplete, but what she had outlined was revolutionary! What if you could create an artificial dantian? In Tor Od's case, it would be an inner world, where if Kalar played it right, Tor Od could manifest his own sun. No, make that suns – tiny, potent replicas of the real one! This would be uncharted territory, an experiment that could either unlock Tor Od's true potential or lead to unforeseen consequences. However, one thing was certain – Kalar wouldn't let this planet stand in the way of his charge's birthright. Should Tor Od ever will it, he would become the most powerful being this world had ever seen! Kalar would see to it.

___

Captain Xia, a woman with sharp blue eyes, surveyed the map projected before her by an Origin Crystal powered formation. The Zolan battleship recently seconded to her command hovered ominously close to the Nexus, the point where the four continental territories converged in the ocean. A sense of unease gnawed at her. The forces and treasures under her command signified a significant escalation. Each failed search had brought them closer to this volatile region.

"Lieutenant Chen," she said, her voice clipped, "have there been any further mobilisations from the other sects?"

Lieutenant Chen, a young officer with a nervous tic in his eye, shook his head. "No, Captain. Their forces still roughly maintain the balance and they all seem to be holding at a similar distance to us. Frankly, this silence. It's… unsettling."

Captain Xia frowned. The lack of movement was paradoxically a cause for concern. If they had scoured their territories as thoroughly as she had hers, it meant they would inevitably once again converge on the nexus point. Without the old monsters coming out, they couldn't even glimpse so much as a pebble on the ocean floor. The potential for conflict between the sects was growing with each fruitless search. "Bring me the million li golden jade," she commanded. "I fear our part in this is coming to an end"

___

Elder Wu, his weathered face etched with stoicism, stood gazing out at the endless horizon. His keen senses picked up the faint fluctuations of his sect's flying technique. He turned to see a cloaked figure land gracefully before him. It was Wu Xing, a young disciple with a troubled look in his eyes.

"Master," Wu Xing choked out, bowing low. "I… I bring word."

Elder Wu's heart lurched. "Speak plainly, disciple."

Wu Xing was timid but he wasn't a bad talent. He was quite excellent in his own way, but anyone would pale in comparison to Yuèliàn, a genuine Heavens Chosen. Wu Xing whispered, his voice thick and eyes wide. "Sect Master… He said to hold position and aw...await the Ancestor!"

Resignation, then a primal determination, flared within Elder Wu. Yuèliàn, his most promising disciple, a cultivator touched by the heavens themselves, was gone. But, if things kept on like this, he might get the opportunity to avenge her. "I understand. Pass the order to our forces to call off the search and come forward to our position. Tell them to be on the highest alert" 

Wu Xing gulped and replied, "Yes Master!" before raising his head and flying off. Alone, Elder Wu clenched his fists, bones, flesh and fabric crackling under the force. "Captain Jin," he growled, the name dripping with venom. "Filthy brat! You'd better wash your neck and wait."

___

A figure cloaked in the folds of space, his face obscured by swirling shadows, watched the exchange between Elder Wu and his disciple unfold. This was Xi'an, Shadow Weaver, leader of the Crimson Hand, a clandestine organization that thrived on chaos. A cruel smile stretched across his hidden face.

"Excellent," he hissed, his voice a chilling rasp. "My hard work with Yuèliàn and fanning the greed of these sects for that treasure did not go to waste. Whatever came down that night was of the mundane world. At best, it would only yield some exotic ores. And Elder Wu! His thirst for revenge is about to overflow while Skyborn Clan is on the cusp of gaining a Heavens Chosen. Should anything happen to that Jin kid..." Xi'an laughed, "Soon, the factions will be at each other's throats, bringing me closer to the true treasure of this world."

Xi'an held out his hand. A tiny fluctuation of energy came from one of his rings and a vial filled with a swirling crimson liquid appeared. "Madness... is like gravity," he murmured as he popped off the cork, "all it takes, is a little push." He sent a tendril of his dark energy to guide a swirling red mist from the vial towards Elder Wu, subtly stoking the flames of his wrath.

___

Captain Jin, was a man troubled. His tall, lithe body, paced the deck of his Skyborn floating garrison, hand on his chin. Frustration gnawed at him. Days of searching had yielded nothing. The promised bounty for uncovering the anomaly, a celestial artefact rumoured to grant immense power, seemed to be slipping away from him. The higher-ups would only wait so long before this matter was taken out of his hands. He couldn't allow that.

"Captain," one of his scouts, a young woman with wind-tousled hair, rushed towards him. "The Celestial Light Guide has found nothing, even after we used the Void Mirror to sneak into the other territories. Maybe if Diviner Kong was here..." Captain Jin waved dismissively. "It's alright. We've done all we can for now. Return the treasures to the armoury, recall the search parties to the garrison then take a rest. You've earned it."

The scout smiled and said "Yes Captain, and thank you!" before bounding off. 

Captain Jin's eyes narrowed. "Two heaven tier treasures and they found nothing? Impossible! Someone is messing with us, with me..." 

His eyes sparkled, cunning shining through. "Well, it matters not. Merrit from slaughtering my way through a battlefield is just as good. It will just be a little riskier. I will be a Heavens Chosen, no matter what"