The fight started both worse than Seth hoped and better than he feared. On the bright side, only one guy was rushing him, and Johan was rushing at Therus. The bad news was that one of them hung back, acting as lookout, ready to jump in where needed. They were already at a disadvantage, the last thing they needed were disciplined enemies. It made him grateful that he held his bayonet in reserve. He knew surprises like that could turn a losing fight into a victory.

  Seth was forced on the defensive immediately, blocking strikes that felt like blows from a sledgehammer. Somehow, he managed not to get overwhelmed immediately, skillfully redirecting qi to wherever needed re-enforcement. Seeing a gap, he threw a punch with his brass knuckles. It felt like he was punching a brick wall, and as a punch slammed into his abdomen, it felt like the brick wall was punching back. The punch threw him back into a wall, and he felt one of his ribs crack.

  Catching Therus' fight out of the corner of his eye, he was staying calm and defensive. He had been worried that Therus would continue his suicidal aggressiveness, so Seth was happy to see that. The third man still hung back, his presence a looming shadow on the fight. His opponent was rocketing toward him quickly, so Seth focused and counter-attacked.

  This time, he feinted with a punch before going for a takedown. His opponent kicked, his feet smashing against Seth's brass knuckles. The foot made a small cracking sound, and the man hissed in pain as he leapt back to regroup. Seth pursued, not giving him the opportunity. They tested each other for a few blows, with Seth nudging his fight closer to Therus and Johan.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Therus' jaw clenched, holding back Johan's assault. Johan's assault was fierce but unhurried. He seemed content with wearing his opponent out, rather than try and force an immediate victory. The third man's eyes darted around, keeping tabs on both the fight and the road, ready to jump in where needed.

  Seth's patience was rewarded, and he saw cracks start to form in his opponent's defense. Not enough to end the fight instantly, but small advantages accumulated. His opponent's qi-enhanced body was too tough for that. However, every hit that the brass knuckles landed made the brick wall wince just a bit. He chose feints that forced his opponent to put weight on his injured foot, chipping away at him mentally. Seth's spirits soared as he readied another attack, daring to hope they may get out of this OK.

  Seth's soaring spirits cracked as he saw Johan slip past Therus' guard to deliver a vicious palm strike to his chest. Therus flew backwards, crashing against the nearest wall. The third man was making one last check left and right down the street, preparing to rush in. Seth's heartbeat felt like a ticking clock. Soon, they'd be 3-on-1, and then the fight would really be over.

  With a desperate smile on his face, Seth rushed in, feigning another wrestling takedown while reaching for his bayonet. His opponent, not wanting to risk Seth's knuckles again, circled his foot overhead for a short axe kick. The high kick worked in Seth's favor, as he pulled his bayonet out and sliced it through the man's hamstring, speed and power enhanced by qi. A shower of blood and meat erupted, and Seth turned and rushed toward Johan before the man could start screaming.

  His heart pounded in his ears as he rushed Johan. The third man would reach Therus first, but Seth had a perfect angle on Johan. Coming from just a little behind and to the side, Johan didn't immediately see Seth's approach. He startled when he finally noticed, but smiled confidently, starting a turn toward Seth.

  .

  The third man reached Therus, slamming him in the solar plexus. Therus slammed against the wall, gasping for air.

  .

  Johan reached for something at his waist. Confidently grasping air, his eyes went wide, leaving his upper body on his right side exposed.

  .

  A man's wailing stops, his body crashing to the ground.

  .

  Johan twisted to defend himself, but the mistake had already been made. He would be a hair too slow to stop Seth's blade from slicing open his neck.

  !

  Seth's world was violently rocked as a green flash shattered the bayonet in his hands. The force of the blow spun him around twice before slamming him into the ground. It took Seth a few moments to regain his bearings.

  Brother Samuel was treating the injury of the hamstrung initiate.

  Another sect member was standing between Therus and the third initiate.

  Bacchus was standing directly over Seth.

  Seth tried to move, but found that his limbs were stuck, like the air had suddenly turned into iron. He thought about protesting, but clamped down hard on that urge. He turned his head. Along with the surprise of being able to do so, he saw the man who he had hamstrung had regained consciousness. The large pool of blood he expected to see was not there. Seth exhaled a breath of relief. The situation was bad, but the initiate lived, so he might just walk out of this alive.

  The force that was holding his arms in place released, and he struggled to his feet. He was about to say something, but the look in Bacchus' eyes warned him against anything stupid. He swallowed, and waited for further instructions. Johan and the third man went with the disciple Seth didn't know the name of, while Samuel took the formerly hamstrung man with him.

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  "Come with me," said Bacchus, starting to walk. As they walked, initiates who had been in their way suddenly looked as if they had urgent business in the direction they just came. Eventually, they arrived front of the large building in the center of the compound. Now that Seth was closer, the symbols he had seen at a distance on the wall were really made of countless smaller symbols. These smaller symbols pulsed as if they were alive and breathing. Seth was entranced by the symbols, almost too distracted to hear Bacchus start to speak.

  "If you value your life, you will remain silent," said Bacchus. Seth nodded, and followed Bacchus into the dark hall.

  Seth could barely see where he was going. There technically was light, but it was so soft and so green that all it did was mark where the walls were. He had the feeling that the people who spent time in here didn't need much light, if any. Seth felt his throat go dry as his heart hammered in his chest. He wasn't sure he would survive what was coming, and he wasn't sure he even wanted to. Still, he smiled, proud of himself for the first time in years.

  They eventually reached a large door that was only visible because of the soft green lights directly placed on a knocker. Bacchus knocked, and after a minute had passed, the door started creaking open. As it was creaking open, Bacchus whispered, "Stay silent, and follow my lead." The door swinging open finished just as Bacchus finished speaking, and Seth followed him in.

  "Disciple Bacchus and Initiate Seth greet the elders and the grandmaster," Bacchus said while bowing politely, which Seth imitated. When the grandmaster motioned for them to rise, only Bacchus did. Seth didn't, or rather, he couldn't. The pressure in this room was overwhelming, making everything in his body scream to flee or to play dead, compromising on refusing to move.

  "Elder Frerren?" The grandmaster asked, tone short.

  "We cannot execute him without risking the karmic seal. He must be punished," answered one of the shadows, his voice soft and gentle. Seth assumed this was Frerren.

  "Are you sure?" a voice asked, "he clearly broke one of our laws..." a voice started, this one haughty and arrogant.

  "No, he didn't. He definitely stepped right up to the line, but didn't actually cross it," another voice replied, a calm, rumbling bass.

  "Yes, I'm sure. The seal is under enough stress with you playing Thrisbane's pet," elder Frerren said, a hard edge to the otherwise soft and gentle tone.

  "Only because the initiate's life was saved. If Samuel hadn't..." the arrogant one started, but their voce cut out, as if someone had pushed the mute button. The elder himself was oblivious, their mouth still moving.

  Seth didn't have much time to process the mystery, as the grandmaster's voice cut through the room, crushing all other sounds out of existence.

  "Initiate Seth will be publicly whipped in one hour. Then, he will join the cleaning servants in their duties for the next four..." Seth could hear a shuffling of paper, before the grandmaster continued, "two weeks. Leave."

  Faster than a blink, Seth found himself outside their audience chambers with Bacchus. The sudden dislocation made Seth nauseous and dizzy. He heard Bacchus exhale, taking a moment to collect himself. Once Bacchus was ready, he led Seth out to the common area with the large raised platform. Neither of them spoke.

  Seth waited on stage for about an hour, on full display for the sect. During that time, initiates trickled in, keeping their eyes off Seth. His robes had been removed, and he had been given simple white pants that chaffed and itched. Without his robes, Seth felt the chill in the air, similar to late fall. He looked around, and met Therus' gaze. Seth nodded at Therus, who nodded back before looking away. He could also see Johan, alone for once, looking especially contemplative.

  In less than a blink, the grandmaster was on the stage, and everyone bowed. After a few moments, the grandmaster started speaking.

  "We are gathered tonight because this initiate came dangerously close to murdering two initiates. While we encourage fierce competition in the spirit of pushing ourselves to higher and higher realms of power," the grandmaster paused, lingering for a moment before continuing. "We cannot afford wasteful deaths. However, as we do not want to discourage healthy competition, this initiate will not be executed. Instead, the first part of their punishment, ten lashes, will be delivered immediately. Following this, he will be working with the servants for two weeks. During this time, he is under servant rules, and will have all the appropriate protections and limitations. Samuel, administer the punishment."

  "Yes, grandmaster," Samuel said, pulling a whip out of nowhere. The calm smile on his face now felt threatening.

  "Kneel," Samuel told Seth, who knelt without hesitation. He just had to get through this, and he'd survive another day.

  He clenched his teeth for the first strike, but was unprepared for the hot, searing pain tearing across his back, followed by a deafening crack. He groaned, but did his best to avoid crying out in pain. A second flash of pain caused him to groan louder, his head swimming. By the third lash, he no longer had the presence of mind to hold back his cries. He felt the blood running down his back in fresh, hot rivulets. It was like the whip lashing him was made of fire; he didn't have the energy to turn his head to find out. Eventually, he noticed the flashes of pain were no longer coming. His head swam, and as he started to move, a hand fell on his shoulder, holding him still. He couldn't see the crowd leaving, but he could hear them ever so slowly leave the gathering area. Eventually, he heard the footsteps die away, and the hand finally left his shoulder.

  It was fortunate Seth was under servants rules, as he didn't have the energy to sneak back to his room. As he checked his belongings, he found his brass knuckles in the robes he was carrying. He started to panic when he couldn't find his bayonet, before he remembered that it had been broken. Just a reminder of another thing taken from him by this sect. He took a second to say a quick thank you to his surplus store friend, and realized that he could barely remember what his friend looked like.

  Returning to his room, he wolfed down some rations and experimented with qi manipulation exercises to see if they would help heal his wounds faster. It definitely made the swelling go down, but not as much as he would have liked. Once the bleeding finally stopped, he used the itchy pants to wipe up any remaining blood. Today had been too close in so many ways. As bad as the situation was, Seth was out moments after he laid down.

  "Get out here, initiate. I don't have all day," a voice echoed in his head, forcing him awake. Seth's back still hurt something fierce, but he pushed it out of his mind as he threw on his robes and went outside. Just outside his door was a disciple Seth didn't recognize, and a servant. Before Seth could ask what was going on, he saw the color on his hem change from white to a servant grey.

  "Follow this servant and do what they say," The disciple left quickly, leaving Seth with a woman who looked to be in her fifties, with greying hair and a friendly smile.

  "Just one moment, please," Seth asked, as he put his hand on his doorplate to get some supplies. The door didn't open.