Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 439 - 438 - Sect Master

"...so the activity we observed indicates a few packs of zheng and a flight of shrikes have been added to the forces we found of Fire Hawks and Light Ravens."  The report had been surprisingly complete but Lind was having difficulty focusing.

Annabelle was sitting in his lap while going over her report.  Her sapphire and gold hair tickled his nose and her perfume was damned distracting.  His more annoying aspect of his dragon soul was becoming painful to ignore.

"Thank you for all your hard work, Annabelle, but could I ask something?"  Lind's face was crimson while Annabelle smiled up at him sweetly and nodded.  Lind had to take a moment to collect himself.  "Why are you sitting in my lap at this moment?"

Now she finally blushed deeply but then came face to face with him.

"You have been so busy that I felt you need to remember you are our husband too.  The others know you are trying hard to catch up, but you need to be with us too."  Lind felt guilt finally kill the literal dragon trying to rise in him.

He looked up apologetically at Annabelle as he pulled her into his arms.  A serene scent came off of her that told him he had done the right thing.

"You are right.  You are still so sweet, Annabelle.  The fact that Shoti has not teased me should have been telling."  Shoti practically teased as she breathed normally but aside from their initial reunion, things had been hectic.

He had spent meals and time with them catching up as Annabelle said, but clearly their more intimate aspect had been pushed back due to their tenuous circumstances.  It also was possible that the drastic changes he had been through left some questions in their minds.

"What do you want to do, Lind?"  Annabelle was a bright spot at all times but now she was practically the intelligence master of the sect.  It made sense that such a combination would strike right at the heart of Lind with a single question.

He held her close and felt a level of stress melt away from him.  He had been running for so long and trying to scrape out a place for his dreams that he had forgotten to take time for himself.

"I think I want to have dinner and time with all of you.  I want to be with all of you like we used to or how you all wish to be together.  I want to be at a time of peace long enough to simply be me for a time."  He spoke the words and felt Annabelle pull him close before he breath made him flinch on his neck.

"I think you need to move up part of that plan, my love."  Lind was shocked but then saw the mirth in her face.  She was teasing him!  Annabelle of all people?!

"I see I still have some catching up to do."  She nodded and then pulled him away to his quarters.  As expected, all his wives were there and smiled wide to see him.  He had been entrapped but he did not mind at all!

"I surrender."  It was the last coherent words spoken for many hours.  The wards of the room isolated them all but one aspect overlooked was the senses of beasts.  The aether beasts felt the change in the air and many suddenly felt uncomfortable for a time until they also indulged.

It was an odd day for the Moebius Sect but very stress relieving for all after the battle and build up of tension.  The only being missing out was currently pouting in her web strung up in the heart of the Mengcong.

"He could have at least offered to bed me too!"  Lady Gua was only sworn not to approach him, the reverse was wide open.  The Star Tier was too distracted to do much but she watched over the territory for any invaders but none came.

It took time to corral beasts together and some would also be creating the next generation just in case they never returned.  Still, Lady Gua felt left out all around by allies and enemies.

It was not fair!

⬧⬧⬧⬧

Lind was sweating as a dark glare came from Lady Gua.  She had been in a very bad mood since the meeting started but he did not know why.  Everyone else seemed to be in a very pleased mood.

He had asked around but no one could answer him why the most powerful member of their group was in a foul mood.

"Sect Master, the enemies have been confirmed on the move but are keeping pace with the packs of zheng to not leave them exposed to sneak attacks."  One of the Illusion Pythons spoke and began the meeting.

Most of it was simply updating all but Lind also had some ideas.  He had not fully grasped all the races of the Mengcong but he did not need to for the meeting.  He knew of the larger problem thanks to Qing and Cyntilla.

Lady Gua seemed to be glaring at his wives too.  Why was she so put out?

"I have studied in books and slips about shrikes and zhengs.  They seem to be rather vicious in different aspects but why would the Light Ravens and Fire Hawks use ground forces at all?  Their air superiority would be a massive problem alone."  Lind's words were true but it was the very same Lady Gua that coldly answered.

"The vicious zheng pride in the Singing Mountains is known to be rather terrible about playing with their food.  It makes them very creative in a fight as well so they will engage us effectively on the ground to give even more openings to the forces in the sky."  Lind nodded at her words but it still struck him as odd.

Shrikes, Fire Hawks, and Light Ravens covered a wide swath of abilities that would be devastating enough on their own.  Adding in the zhengs made the defense plans having to be more comprehensive.

"Rawr, arrr mwuah."  A large bear with glittering fur spoke up.  It had no capacity for speech but Lind understood him perfectly.  He was there for the western side of the Mengcong as most of that was the territory of bears, foxes, and other mammals.

"I am aware of your power Lang.  Your ability to deflect most Qi Arts is very interesting but I would like to have you work with the spirit foxes and the Illusion Pythons to be a bit more devastating to your enemies."  Lind's words were met with blank looks from all the beasts.

Lady Gua's mood was broken by confusion so strong it could not endure.

"Lord Frey, beasts do not work like that.  We are all competing to advance so do not cooperate in that way."  The same Illusion Python spoke up once more.  She was not using her projection so she was a pure python that projected her voice.

"Senior Ming, I appreciate that aether beasts do not fight together as a rule but an external enemy has come for us.  I will not have it be a competition.  I will have us win."  Lind's authority was only by his bloodline but all the beasts flinched as a sliver of it leaked with his words.  "A Sect Master is not the same as Lady Gua or other Heaven Realms."

Lind stood up and moved around the room as he spoke.

"Look around you.  There are more than aether beasts here.  Demons, aether children, and humans live here.  We are a minority but we are now all under the same sect.  My responsibility is not only to raise up disciples but to return the faith and loyalty given to my sect by the people supporting us."  Lind stopped behind a tiny beast with a massive tail.  Its large teeth were ideal for cutting wood.

It was adorable but clearly nervous about all the attention now on it.

"The silver beavers helped supply the wood while the same the steel bears helped supply the stone.  You already worked together for the sect.  You have always worked together to redirect water to where it was needed."  Both the bear and beaver suddenly perked up at the praise.

Lind continued to move.

"The Illusion Pythons have worked with Annabelle to improve their skills and set up protections for the sect as well as gather vital information to guide other members here safely.  The spirit foxes keep an eye out for any intruders that seem benign or were looking for us.  I can go on but I think you all miss the point that the Mengcong only exists because you all worked together to create it."  Lind's words had a weird effect.

The aether beasts had simply followed their instincts and skills to get the best resources.  The beavers knew spreading water in previously empty areas would give them protection from predators with the grateful neighbors they created.

They could also offer to cut dead trees down to allow more sunlight down so plants also liked them.

Lind had opened a doorway for many thoughts to flow through but still, they wanted to advance.  He could tell they wanted to monopolize the carcasses of their enemies.

"A sect is not just a place for cultivators anymore.  I have welcomed you all and your advancement is just as important to me.  If you follow my plans, I can guarantee you will get the resources you need."  Lind then returned to his seat and a cold aura came off of him.  "If you betray me, you will die."

The previously unsure beasts suddenly had their eyes gleam as Lady Gua nodded smartly nearby.

Beasts respected strength.  Benefits were the result of victory, but strength was always worthy of respect.  Ethry garnished the same respect wherever she went but Lind always held back.

The aether beasts began to appreciate the fact he did not simply force them but showed them how they could work together.  He only used his strength to make it clear he had a bottomline.

"We will have to think on this." Ming did not immediately dismiss the idea but all the beasts rose and moved off.  It was their way and Lind actually preferred it.  It felt refreshing to him to not be inundated with flowery expressions of respect or praise.

The rest of the meeting was more straightforward as the sect itself would be behind as many formations and weavings as could be constructed.

In terms of power, formations were much stronger at the moment but support was far more efficient with weaving.  The combination would work in their favor and all went off with his blessing to get started.

Lind now looked out at the busy sect from his office balcony and wondered how many would die in the coming days.

"You can't save them all."  Lady Gua appeared from above on a thread.  She was no longer angry nor playful, but the more serious woman he had first met.  Her range of emotions was hard to follow at times but Lind was coming to enjoy it.

"I know, but I will not let them die needlessly either.  The survivors will be stronger and we will remember those that fell."  She stared at him for a long time but he let her work out her words.

"I do not dislike that thought, but you assume we will win?"  Lind then smirked as he waved out at the sect.

"If you can all do this after billions of years of staying away, what is a normal war to you now?"  Lady Gua finally also realized her own desire to progress had opened a doorway she never considered.  Her will made all of the sprawling sect possible but only with the various beast races cooperating under her command.

Excitement rose in her as she wondered what the result would be then.  What kind of war would unfold and would the Wild Heart Isle ever be the same?