The Path of Ascension

Chapter 128

As Matt stepped out of the formation that had just swapped space to return him home, he paused and took a deep breath.

He had insisted on returning through the nearest portal to his hometown, and in doing so, he had retraced the steps hed taken to travel to the training world.

The other planets had been so similar to when he had traversed them last that he expected the same to be said of Lilly. But from the moment he returned, he realized he had been sorely mistaken.

If he hadn't known which planet he was teleporting to, he would never have thought this was his homeworld. A small part of him still doubted. The teleportation chamber alone had been renovated to a degree far exceeding what would have been common on Lilly. The once small and cramped warehouse-like room had gone through a marvelous change in the last fifteen years.

The building was now spacious and even contained half a dozen scaffolding's designed to perfectly fit inside the formation and ensure easier transportation of goods. At that very moment, a shipment was being unloaded off to the side.

Instead of the singular monthly teleports that were standard for such a low tier planet, Lilly was now performing a pair of teleports every other week.

Baroness Margaret Thresh had clearly been pouring in a relatively insane amount of money into the planet as only someone many Tiers above the planet could. Improved infrastructure for interplanetary travel like this could redefine the formerly backwater planet, opening a path for it to become so much more.

As he and all the other new arrivals exited the building into the city, Matt unfurled his spiritual sense and let it wash out over everything in his vicinity, searching every nook and cranny of his surroundings.

Luna, for all her abrasiveness, had taught him well. With minimal effort, his peak Tier 9 senses extended nearly a city block in each direction without being overloaded by information.

At his side, Liz kept quiet and just observed the city around them just as he was.

Aster, on the other hand, scampered up and down the street just inspecting everything directly. Not even a sliver of spiritual sense could be felt coming from her like with Matt and Liz.

Passing through the streets, Matt couldn't help but notice the additional massive changes that had cropped up during his time away. A century was but a blink in the life cycle of a planet, yet just fifteen years later everything looked fresh and new.

Like all interplanetary travel hubs, a planets teleporter cities were always among its most prosperous due to all the trade moving through them. Some development was not unexpected. Yet not only had the city spread horizontally, it had sprouted vertically. Actual skyscrapers with spatially expanded interiors were almost the norm. Probing each building, he could feel the stretched space stitched together by the runes encased in higher Tier materials.

Something like that was usually only resorted to when the land to build on was scarce and cost a premium, not on a practically untamed planet with a scant few million residents.

Still walking the city streets in silence, Matt quietly gripped Lizs hand. She stood as a pillar of support for him even if he had no idea what he needed. Whatever happened next, she was there for him.

A leisurely hour of walking passed by until they reached the edge of the city. There, a wave of new construction could be seen on the rise, pushing forward the city limits outward along the coastal safe zone. After everything else hed seen, this was no surprise. The same could not be said for the automated construction drones flying about.

These machines were generally only good for building with mundane materials, but they were still incredibly expensive to the point few ever bothered to use them. Their main advantages came from them being autonomous, they were tireless, precise, and consistent in their work. Each drone could be filled with the materials and set to work through day and night, requiring none of the breaks that a human would need. The relatively absurd costs still made them a last resort though, only worth using if you were out of manual labor to hire and still needed to speed up construction. Their presence was another sign that the world was developing well.

With an effort of will and a flex of his Concept, Matt raised himself and Liz into the air. Aster lifted herself up, following him in a maneuver that she had only mastered in the last few months. Once well beyond the city limits, they all boarded his new Tier 11 flying sword and raced along the coast at blistering speeds.

At Tier 1, this distance had taken Matt days of travel via train. At Tier 9, the same journey took less than an hour atop a homemade flying sword. With 640 MPS to pump out, he had more than enough mana to spare. His self-made blade reflected that, sacrificing any thought of efficiency for a greater max speed.

In fact, even with Tier 11 materials, the sword could only handle around 500 MPS before it started burning up under the stress of processing that much energy.

Arriving above Warrington, Matt halted in the sky and just stood there.

This city was not the one that he remembered.

When he left more than a decade ago, the southern side of the city had still been a smoldering wreck with only the first signs of healing.

Now even his memories failed to find the old scars that he expected to linger.

Not only had the city been made whole again, it had almost doubled in size.

The city, like the rest of the planet, had experienced a wave of immigrants and grew to accommodate them. And still more would come.

He sighed and drifted down into the citys airspace.

Technically, he was flaunting a dozen laws with this maneuver. Those kind of infractions only ever came with fines though. Matt was too interested in moving quickly to care about the money.

He circled around the northern side of the city before he found his target, Warrington's Upper East Side Orphanage #3.

Home sweet home.

Except, he only managed to locate the building by relying on a few notable landmarks to have gone unchanged. The once worn down building bustled with people, both coming and going.

Landing across the street, he just stared in confusion, stunned. More than twenty years had lapsed since the rift break. Even the youngest children had already aged out of the orphanage system by now.

Matt expected to find a closed and boarded-up building. Instead, Warrington's Upper East Side Preparatory School greeted him in its stead.

With his spiritual sense, he enveloped the building and combed through the facilities. They were good. For a planet this Tier, he would even call them state of the art, especially compared to what he had grown up with. In one room, a dozen kids wielding training weapons and wands battled against training programs, which his AI identified as being both decent quality and only two generations old.

Instructors called out from the sidelines with tips and advice while the kids battled pertinent foes.

Aster came back from a nearby ice cream vendor with a banana split hovering next to her. Matt hadnt even noticed her peel away. With her snack at a convenient height to nibble, she was content to sit and wait for Matt to finish his mental struggle.

Liz, too, just held his hand silently, waiting for him to speak.

Knowing he owed her an explanation, Matt gestured with their interlocked hands, That was the orphanage. My orphanage. I His breath caught in his throat. I didnt expect them to make it a prep school.

Exhaling his confusion, he shrugged, I don't know why I expected it to be boarded up and crumbling, but I did.

Using his Concept to scoop Aster up into his arms, he gave her a quick squeeze and started to walk across the street holding her while her snack still hovered beside her.

He didn't know exactly why, but he wanted to see inside with his own eyes. Needed to. His spiritual sense was just as good as his physical vision, but something inside him craved the sight. Almost like the echoes of his previous life somehow resonated within him and pulled at the memories he had of walking those halls. How much he had changed in his time away, no longer the scared child hed been but now a man with the power to affect change.

Maybe walking in those same places as he was now would somehow make things easier, or more tangible to him.

When they entered the lobby, two things he did remember waited for him; the old security booth and reception desk. The booth had once held an off-duty city guard on special duty to watch over the building for a time. The guards would change, but someone would always be there. Conversely, the reception desk had sat forever abandoned. Now, despite still feeling familiar, their roles were reversed.

No security stood at vigil to stop them. But the receptionist desk now held a smiling young man who looked up and asked, Oh, hello! I dont believe Ive seen you around before. Are you here to pick someone up? Or are you two looking to enroll your own child? If so, youve chosen well. This is the premiere prep school in the city. We have great relations with the local guilds and even some connections with off-planet guilds making for easier entry to their ranks too.

If he was still the same Matt who had left Lilly, he would have stumbled at the question, but he had spent so much time undercover and training with Luna he easily answered, Looking to enroll actually. You said something about guilds?

It hadnt escaped his attention that the man had asked if they were there to pick someone up. The reception assumed they were here for a child or sibling, clearly leaning towards the latter. Despite being thirty nine years old, Matt and Liz only looked to be in their early twenties. The increased lifespan of cultivators kept them looking young despite easily being old enough to have children the right age to enroll.

But hearing about the guilds recruiting, memories emerged about the types of guilds that tried to recruit him after he awakened. He wanted to investigate and leaned into the misconception.

The young man kept his face and voice free of surprise, but Matt felt his body tense, exposing his shock. Yes, we have several contracts with a variety of organizations. We have pipelines for our enrollees to join half a dozen local guilds. Both combat and non-combat oriented.

From his side, Liz asked, Do you have information about them by chance?

The receptionist gestured to the side wall mounted with a chest high rack of colorful brochures. You can find a variety of pamphlets and information packets set up by the guilds in question. If you want, I can check if any of their representatives are here right now as well?

Matt smiled and thanked the man, letting him go back to his job.

Before they could fully turn, the receptionist leaned forward and whispered, Unofficially, the board is sorted from least desirable at the top to most near the bottom. Anything on the bottom three rows means the guild has a proven track record with the kids who come through here.

Having already scanned the board, Matt had already noticed the more familiar names near the bottom, but still ruffled through some of the leaflets he recognized through his memories.

A smile blossomed on his face to see the colorful pamphlets preaching on the wonder and dangers of delving.

Gavles Good Guilders had two spots on the bottom row which made him grin wryly. They had tried to do their best by him and had continued to do so as far as he could tell.

As they stood up, Aster finished her treat, and Matt threw away the container while Liz asked, Oh by the way? Is it possible for us to walk around a bit? Just to take a look at things.

The receptionist waved down to the two halls that Matt remembered, leading to the dining hall and youngest kid's halls on the left, and the older kid's rooms and training schooling rooms on the right.

Now they led to a smaller dining hall that seemed more like a snack facility for hungry kids than a place meant to feed hundreds of children like he remembered, and training rooms.

Of course. We encourage our patrons to explore the facility. We have nothing to hide, but we ask that you not enter any closed rooms. Some of our kids have private training that we don't wish disturbed.

Of course, we wouldn't intrude. Thank you for your help.

Together the three of them walked around, and Matt was able to see children as young as eight roughhousing in padded rooms. The kids were wearing protective gear and playing some games he didnt recognize with a single adult supervising them. As they progressed deeper into the building, the children all got older, and the training turned from games to serious practice.

Matt stopped at one room and watched through the glass as a young woman pummeled two other kids with a padded staff as an older man called out instructions for both sides.

He was so engrossed in putting himself in their shoes when he was their age he almost missed the presence round a corner and approached them with waddling steps.

It took him an embarrassingly long time to recognize the man, and he only did so because of his voice as he proffered a hand to Liz, who was close and said, I'm the faculty head, Alex. Do you like what you see? We act as a fun and engaging daycare for the youngest and transition fun games into real-world experience as they mature. And I always like to show what we have to offer myself. I'm quite proud of what we have become in the last few years.

Shaking Matt's hand next and scratching Aster's head took long enough that Matt was able to gather his wits.

Alex, or as he knew him, Headmaster Jones, had gotten fat in the intervening fifteen years. The skinny, haggard, and brooding man from his memories was replaced with a rotund, rosy-cheeked man with a smile as wide as his belly.

As a kid, Matt hadnt understood fully how hard the man had worked to campaign for money to run the orphanage and try to make and use connections to get the kids good jobs or guild contracts as they awakened and aged out of the system. But looking back, he could recognize the man's efforts for what they were. He could recognize the toll the job had been taking on him.

Despite the man's weight gain, he looked good in a way Matt had never seen before or expected.

He looked happy.

Content.

Shaking the man's hand, Matt saw no recognition in his eyes, not sure if he was proud of that for all his growth or sad the man couldn't recognize one of his former charges.

Not that Matt blamed him. Nearly a thousand orphans had moved through these halls throughout the years, and Headmaster Jones was an administrator, not a caretaker. Matt had also changed from a scrawny kid to a six-foot-four muscle-bound fighter with a beautiful woman by his side and a fox in his arms.

There was little to link him to his former self.

Alex guided them through the halls showing them each room as he prattled on, We work hard to give the kids a head start that the education system or a children's parents can't. It's some of the most hard and rewarding work there is but with donations and support from the government, we have the opportunity to make things better.

Having donated quite a few Tier 5 mana stones himself to this place, that piqued Matt's interest, and he asked, Oh? Just donations? This equipment cant be cheap, and there's a lot of it. I imagine that you must charge quite a lot for enrollment.

Alex shook his head and laughed merrily, I assume you two are from off-world?

Matt checked his cultivation veil but considering he hadnt felt any probes and their clothes while higher Tier were indistinguishable from mundane materials without one, he doubted the man suspected anything and just listened.

Seeing Lizs nod, Alex continued, I expected so. With the Baroness' offer to settle, Im both unsurprised and glad to see people choosing to settle in our humble little city, but there are a few things you might not know yet.

He tapped the wall next to him, First, this used to be an orphanage created from the rift breaks and the increased demands from that. A sad testament to some of the worst years in our city. But we did our best, and as they say, good deeds create more. Quite a few of our charges have done quite well for themselves and set up a nice fund for the orphanage. There were enough of them that we still had a lot of money left over when everything was said and done. Once the last child was awakened, we had no use for the money or the building, but it wasnt like the city didnt need help anymore. In fact, it needed it more than ever.

Alex started down the hall again as he continued, But most of the donations were earmarked for the orphanage, which meant we had no access to the money, so we petitioned the city, and then the oversight committee to use the funds for local projects. The thing was, we were one of a dozen new orphanages who were no longer needed but most, if not all had some backers who had given generously to our cause. In the end, it was decided to open a few of these preparatory schools in a few of the better-located orphanage buildings and repurpose the rest. With that money funneled into just a few buildings, we have no need to take funds from parents as long as their children are working hard for their future.

There was a true smile on the man's face as he patted his chest and looked out and over the training room they had stood at. These halls have seen a lot of kids through the years. We've transformed them through hard work from a place of sadness into something good that makes the city better. Before, I wouldn't have known how long such facilities would have lasted as I assure you they aren't cheap to run. We pay our staff well, but we would have run out of money and time eventually. Now we have the Baroness's backing, and she took our idea and spread it to the entire planet. With her help, we have funds set aside for the next dozen years and no need to charge parents like yourselves.

Matt was touched at the change and happy that whoever had had such an idea was able to implement it. His own fund had run out of the initial money years ago though he had a flow of automated credits to keep it funded, he never really thought of it. But now seeing the place, it was heartwarming to see the changes that money made.

It was a perfect ending to a building he had such mixed feelings for.

The kids he could see were all enjoying themselves, and there was even a healer or someone with a healing touch skill on staff to take care of any injuries that happened in training. But what surprised Matt the most was seeing the classes on the crafting skills, and he asked Alex about it.

I wasn't expecting to see crafting jobs. Isnt the training really expensive?

Alex nodded, By far our biggest expense despite using the lowest Tier materials. But the Baroness wanted people to know how to do more than fight, and added this to our curriculum when she expanded the program. This is a bit more selective of a program because of the expense, but there have been some skilled children who have come out of here even in just the last two years.

During his explanations, Alex guided them through the various different wards of the building, showing them where their potential children might end up. During one such cursory inspection, his eyes landed on a familiar silhouette. As he realized who he was looking at he felt as though someone had slapped him with [Jolt].

Ms. Rebecca was one of the caretakers who had been assigned to his age group of kids. She was currently in a room with the youngest kids and directing them to play a game with a series of flashing lights that was reminiscent of some of Lunas training.

Ms. Rebecca looked up through the glass door and first nodded at Alex before her gaze inspected Liz for an instant. She smiled at Aster before her eyes traveled up Matts chest and landed on his face.

She froze upon seeing him and quickly stood up, leaving the room.

After closing the door, she paused and inspected Matt head to toe before carefully asking, Matthew? Is that you?

Not caring that his cover was blown, Matt pulled the older woman into a hug. She had been a kind but overworked woman trying to take care of nearly a hundred kids every day with minimal help.

She hadnt been the mother he lost, but she had stretched herself thin trying to help everyone.

Yeah. All grown up.

She pulled him into another hug, forgetting about Aster for a second, then moved back. Sorry little one. I just can't believe it. You look so young.

A pair of clumsy spiritual senses washed over Matt from both Ms. Rebecca and Alex, probing his strength and finding his veiled cores to be mid-Tier 8. He had publicly joined The Path after all and couldnt be below the curve, so he kept his power just above the curve.

I cant believe it.

Ms. Rebecca was still shocked, but Alex remembered Matt's earlier comments, I thought you were both parents here to enroll a kid? I didnt even recognize you, Matthew!

Matt resisted smirking. Alex was trying his best to pretend that he remembered Matt but with the lack of his nickname he assumed the man was just following Ms. Rebeccas lead.

Ms. Rebecca nodded along with his question, and Matt happily answered them, I was able to join the Path of Ascension after I left here and have been fortunate enough to remain on it. Sorry about the lie, but I wanted to see for myself how things were going.

Proffering Aster, he introduced her and Liz before gesturing to the building. You've all done something great with the place. Thanks for everything.

Alex just nodded, but Ms. Rebecca sniffled. Im glad you made it out, Matt. Not everyone did. It was hard on some of the others. Part of the reason I work here. I feel like I didnt

Matt paused her apology with a hand on her shoulder, You did the best you could and more than most. That was more than enough. Not everyone can be saved or helped. You cant set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm.

Liz stayed quiet on the side but squeezed his arm, and her presence gave him comfort that he desperately needed.

After explaining some of the more mundane details of his last decade to the relief of Ms. Rebecca, Matt pulled out a pouch he had prepared for petty bribes and handed it to Alex saying, It's not a ton, but Id like to give some help.

It was actually a pouch of twenty-five Tier 7 mana stones. Petty cash for the people on the worlds that he normally spent time on but a hefty sum on a Tier 4 world.

Alex tried to hand them back, but Matt stepped back with Liz in tow. It's nothing to me, but can be useful for you all. Take the money and ensure the kids get a good foundation. Buy some more crafting supplies with it.

Matt shrugged, Take it and keep it for yourself, if you feel that is best, but I doubt that you two will. Not after seeing you still here. It means little to me, but Im sure it can help quite a lot here. Though maybe put a little aside and treat yourselves to a vacation.

He was actually pushing heavily against the laws about keeping higher Tier funds in their proper economies, but they were the only physical mana stones he had on him, not having planned on the orphanage still being in use.

Alex finally nodded and his grip was firm around the small pouch. Well put these mana stones to good use, but I don't know how we will spend them. Tier 7 mana stones aren't easy to exchange but we will manage. But that's a good problem to have, thank you. And sorry for not recognizing you.

Matt laughed, I don't recognize myself some days. It's fine. You were busy trying to keep this place running all those years ago. Take care of yourself. Please. And Ms. Rebecca, thank you for giving so much to us. I couldn't appreciate it as a kid but you burnt yourself at both ends and in the middle to help us all. If you ever need anything please don't hesitate to contact me. Please.

It didnt escape his observation that Alex was Tier 3 while Ms. Rebecca was only Tier 2. They didnt have forever to live, and he wanted to help them out.

After giving them that much money, Matt didnt want to stick around, and they quickly made their goodbyes. Their change in demeanor, having noticed his cultivation, hadnt gone unnoticed, and Matt wanted to leave on a positive note.

Aster looked up from his arms, You lived there?

It was a long time ago, but yeah. That was my home for a good while.

His bond pushed mental warmth to him and said, Home is with us now. We are a team and family.

Yeah, we are. Matt smiled before scratching her the way she liked.

Liz pulled his arm, Are you doing ok? I know you had mixed feelings about coming back.

Matt nodded and lifted them off the ground and flew them to their next destination via his Concept.

He had already looked up Miles and learned the man was still on Lilly, though his position had been increased to head of recruitment instead of his previous position of a direct recruiter.

Having seen two people from his past, he wanted to see how he was doing and show the older man that he had been doing well for himself.

Without Miles, he would have been lost and directionless when he received his detrimental rating. The course of his life would have been changed drastically, for the worse.

I feel good. I didnt expect them to turn the orphanage into a training house, but I like that they've done so. It's a good way to move forward. Keeps the best parts of the orphanage and discards the worst parts. I had fond memories there. Or at least as fond as you can have of such a place, and most were of training. They did their best to help us, and ensuring that we could fight was the best they could do for most of us.

They arrived at the Gavles Good Guilders headquarters in just moments.

Entering, a Tier 5 guard sat at the front desk who immediately pressed a button as she got a good sense of their cultivations, likely fearing they were here to make trouble.

Not being so inclined, the three of them walked up to the counter and asked her if she was able to get them a meeting with Miles.

That, more than anything else, seemed to calm her down, and she tapped the button a second time with her knee as she said she was happy to help them.

It took nearly fifteen minutes, but eventually, Miles came down and froze as soon as he saw Matt. Feeling the careful probe of his spirit, Matt smiled and reached out to shake Miles's hand.

Matt? I can't believe it's you!. What happened?

Smiling, Matt laughed, I took your advice. Joined The Path and here I am.

A second probe at his cores accompanied Miles shaking his head. Yeah, I see and feel it, but Im not sure I believe it. You're only what, thirty? And already Tier 8? That's amazing, you only need to reach Tier 8 by thirty one years old and you are already there. Amazing. Last I saw you, you were lost and weak. Now you're stronger than me. Come, I was almost done with today's duties. Join me for dinner; we have to catch up.

Matt smiled at the mans incorrect guess at their age but that was what they wanted so he just smiled along.

As Miles went back to the receptionist, he gave instructions that he was going to be out for the rest of the evening and to contact him only if it was an emergency.

Sorry about that. I'm Miles, and you are? He trailed off, asking for Liz and Aster's names which Matt provided with a laugh.

Liz shook his proffered hand with her best smile, Im personally grateful for what you did. I know Matt's story, and you did more than you had to.

Miles took the hand but scoffed, Maybe more than I had to, but not everything I could. If the big lug made it to Tier 8 on The Path, his Tier 3 clearly fixed his problem. He tapped the side of his nose, I remember what it was, and good on you kid for working past it.

Matt felt a warmth settle inside him at the words and just smiled. Aster feeling the bleed-over of his emotions, squirmed to make her presence known.

I'm Aster! I think I have you to thank for me being me? She tilted her head as she worked through her convoluted logic. At least I think so. Matt got me from a rift, so yeah. Thanks!

Miles just laughed, Youre quite well spoken for your Tier Aster. Id say youre welcome, but all I did was give the best advice I could. Matt actually getting on The Path was outside my expectations as well. Last I heard, he was working at Benny's, then he vanished. I always feared he was dead. I have to hear the story.

They soon reached one of the better restaurants, and after the hostess saw Miles were immediately informed they would be seated soon.

Matt looked down at the smaller man and smiled. He didn't know that Miles had been looking in on him, but it didnt surprise him. The man was kind and tried his best for all the orphanages, even if it wasn't just getting them into his own guild. He explained how to make the kids more desirable for all the guilds in general.

What about yourself? You clearly got a promotion and advanced in the last few years.

Miles looked proud and, after they were seated, said, I was actually rotated out about four years after your group. I was put back onto a combat team and got to Tier 6, where I am now. After that, I was put back on recruiting duty as I had a good success rate and more than a few of my prospects turned out fantastically. Do you remember Bob? One year older than you, Matt. He joined a bit earlier than you with a preference towards sabers?

Matt vaguely did, it was fuzzy at best, but he still nodded.

He caught the eye of the second in command in one of their walk-throughs and is now Tier 8. Can you believe it? He's a beast with his blade despite having no Talent for it. Tier 8 in only seventeen years.

Miles shook his head in wonderment.

Matt imagined the look on his face if he revealed his real cultivation, but contented himself with the mental image.

There were at least three people eavesdropping on their table that he had noticed so far, and he had no idea how many other listening devices.

He wasn't here to show off. Just to see an old friend and spend some time reminiscing.

Unfortunately, the food was so poorly made he only picked at the plate. The chicken had only been basted for a few hours instead of the full day that would have brought out the more subtle flavors of the spices. To add to the dish's problems, the vegetables were paired well with the dish but poorly prepared. The chunks were of different thicknesses leading to them being cooked to different levels. With these same ingredients, Matt could have prepared a better dish over a campfire just using just some sharp sticks and a flat stone.

After suffering through the first few bites, he only pretended to nibble at his food and listened to Miles.

Then there was April. That talented girl, shes been working as a smith and

Matt smiled as Miles spent more time talking about how the kids he recruited had done well than his own accomplishments.

Eventually, Matt got him to tell them how his success rate had caused the guild to promote him to further develop his relationships with Lilly.

Miles was going to be on the planet for another decade before he made a push for Tier 10.

After a few drinks, he flatly admitted that he was an average combatant at best and was going to be carried through rifts like a crafter. While he was able to fight, it was neither his specialty nor something he enjoyed. His real skills were with people.

Noticing that he had monopolized the conversation so far, he insisted on Matt retelling his own story and he listened attentively, making choice comments during each event. He was more impressed with Matts Concept than he was with the vassal war which Matt found amusing as the few Pathers he had told those stories found it the opposite. Miles hadnt found his own phrase let alone formed his image.

He, unlike them, had no rush.

After the restaurant hit closing time, they exited the building with the promise that they wouldn't be strangers to find a familiar woman standing across the street. Everyone else passed her by as if she couldn't be seen, but the application of Concept was like a spotlight on her to the trio.

Despite her skin being now an amber color, Baroness Margaret Thresh was unmistakable as she stood before them calmly watching the restaurant's exit.