Boundless pride, p.1
Boundless Pride, page 1
Jay Krauss
Boundless Pride
Copyright © 2025 by Jay Krauss
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
Jay Krauss has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
First edition
Cover art by Henrique "Morpheuz" Neves
Editing by Sidnie Krauss
Editing by Carlie Morris
This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy
Find out more at reedsy.com
To Tommy,
For informing me of our friendship. May all your dreams of being a fox spirit come true.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Afterword
Chapter 1
Adeep valley stretched for miles in all directions, the walls of stone and dirt that formed it culminating in a single point at the far end. That mountain reached for the heavens, half of its mass covered in ice and snow even as the air at its base sweltered in the summer sun. The valley itself was barren and dry, without so much as a tree to be seen within its domain. It was flat, nearly perfectly so, and lacking anything in the way of water or sustenance. There was no Qi in the air, leaving all feeling as though breathing it was difficult and pointless. It was a desolate place, where men were sent to die slowly, painfully.
A dome of shimmering energy capped the space, the distortion of light that it created masked by the waves of heat in the air. On the side of the mountain, the peak towering far above the shield of Qi, a Formation a mile across stood proudly. It shone with a deep red light, each line that formed it dozens of yards across and scored as if by the hands of the gods themselves. It was the only thing within the shield that was not dust and stone, and it stood out as a reminder night and day that any who laid eyes on it would never lay eyes on anything else.
A man sat in the very center of the valley, his legs crossed and a sword unsheathed across his knees. He wore once fine robes that had seen far better days, his long hair and beard unkempt from untold ages trapped within the valley. At a glance, one could see that he was powerful, though what inner light may have shone from his eyes, had they been open, was dimmed. He sat facing the mountain, the Formation across it like an enormous eye staring down at him, judging his fate.
His back was straight and unbowed, and the only thing about him that remained clean was the blade in his lap. His right hand rested on its hilt, the woven cord that covered it worn but cared for. The steel shone in the light of the sun above as it beat down on man and weapon, but neither paid it any mind. The sun was but a light in the sky- the true enemy was the light that shone across the mountain’s face. The man sat in meditation for what seemed like eons, the passage of the sun and moons the only indication that the world did not stand still.
When the man finally moved, it was not the motion of one beaten down by hunger and thirst, but that of a warrior preparing for combat. Every contraction of muscle and tendon was measured and exact, bringing the man to his feet smoothly and silently. The sword in his hand lay across his thighs as his other hand slid across its spine in a loving caress. When the man opened his eyes, the sand before him was blasted away for thousands of feet in a line that led towards the mountain peak - so powerful was even the man’s gaze.
His eyes locked onto the Formation that stood out against the dark stone so many miles away and the mountain itself seemed to wish to recoil. He slowly stepped forward, adjusting his hips and bringing his sword hand upwards, rotating the blade and pointing its tip at his enemy as his left hand supported the hilt. He stood in that position, not moving, as the celestial bodies above moved about their tracks, making lines across the sky. His eyes never wavered, and the Qi within him slowly gathered for a strike, his core providing all it had remaining.
He moved suddenly. A single slash of his blade, made with intent and purpose, but without flair or pretense. The sword cut through the air and severed the very particles that it was made of, sparking and drawing a searing white line. As the sword crossed the sky, the heavens themselves shuddered, the sun that hung above the valley flickering from the power of the blow. The blade crossed between the man and the mountain so far away, then came to rest at his side. He dragged the spine of the weapon across his scabbard and then drove it home, grasping the hilt with his left and holding it out slightly from his body as he observed his work.
For a long moment, it appeared as though nothing had come from the strike. The dome stood in place, the sand laying still and dead. The mountain stood tall in the distance, its snow-covered peak like a gravestone for those who had left their bones in the valley at its base. The Formation across its face glowed the same red as it had for eons… but then it flickered.
It was a small shift, one that would have gone unnoticed by most, but it was a sign of change. A wave of undulating light that moved across it followed, like the wake of a boat, the line that the man’s sword had made through the air. It grew still once more, and then the entire Formation shattered like glass. The face of the mountain exploded outwards, taking the mile-wide Formation with it as a line grew across it from side to side. Slowly, with a noise that defied description, the mountain began to move.
The peak moved right to left, sliding down the perfectly smooth cut that the man’s sword had made through the mountain itself. The rumble of the earth meeting its end shook the valley and everything around it as the titan that had stood silent vigil over the prison that it created collapsed. As the shield above the valley burst into motes of light and Qi flooded the zone, the man’s face showed the first bit of emotion it had in more years than most would be lucky to live.
A small smile graced his lips, though his eyes remained as hard as they had been when they first opened. With a flash of light he vanished, leaving only the depression his feet made in the sand as testament to his existence as the mountain continued its death throes.
* * *
The scene played again and again as Leon watched, his every thought locked onto what he was being shown. The sword in the man’s hand had left his very soul screaming danger, even when it was simply sitting idle on the meditating man’s lap. The blade was beautiful in a way that he couldn’t quite explain, and while not his own style, he could see how such a weapon would become a companion for eternity. It was well cared for- as any smith worth his salt could see at a glance- and sharp enough to rend the heavens themselves… or the earth.
When the man stood, Leon could feel his own incorporeal body wanting to follow the motion. Every line of the man’s body was exacting, and not a single inch of movement had been wasted. The man moved as though the act of moving took precious energy, which perhaps it had, but the lesson was learned regardless. The movement required to bring him into his stance was only that- enough to perform the task and no more.
When the blade moved, it felt like Leon’s very soul was tearing. His mind cried out with joy as the sword crossed the sky, and had lamented when the strike had seemingly been ineffective. His eyes caught the flicker of the Formation, and his heart had swelled when the mountain suffered the wrath of the swordsman. He had felt the elation and relief of the man in the valley as his prison was broken, and had been left in wonder as the man had disappeared- the threat in his eyes enough to know where he was going.
After the vision had replayed a dozen times, Leon felt himself come together within the valley. The sand beneath him was hot, the air sweltering, and he immediately knew where he was, in spite of his eyes being closed. With a flex of his will, the Hammer of Brokkr appeared in his fist and turned into a dangerous-looking longsword. He rested it across his knees and pushed his Qi into it, meditating on what he had gained. He knew that his test was to perform the same attack, but he had only seen the end result, not the steps leading up to it.
He felt his energy flowing within the blade, the weapon accepting it as if it were a part of his arm, or any other piece of his body. The sword was bound to him, and ever since speaking with the soul of the First Dragon that resided within it, it had felt… different. He hadn’t had a chance to delve into the particulars until now, and decided that doing so must be part of his task. He mentally examined every inch of the weapon, then pushed deeper.
With Metal Manipulation, he examined it to its very structure. The crystals that formed it were aligned perfectly, to the point where he knew that it would be impossible to replicate. The weapon was not so simple as to be forged by mortal hands, of course, so it could hardly be expected to stoop to mortal levels. It was perfection in steel, though even as he had that thought he wondered if it truly was made of that material. It felt like steel, looked like steel- albeit without any of the imperfections that he would expect to find- but was it truly?
As he replayed the strike in his mind, he recalled the swordsman’s Qi building and then releasing through his weapon. It reminded him a bit of Body Arts, though the nature of the attack being external precluded it from being anything but a Cultivation skill. Still, the idea that it was related to the Arts refused to leave him, and he began to consider the possibilities.
The weapon was an extension of himself, and as such…
He pushed his Qi into his body, flooding his channels with the energy. He didn’t activate his Crimson Mantle, nor Storm’s Embrace, but allowed the Qi to permeate his body. He immediately felt stronger, faster, and quicker of mind. He could tell that the portion of Qi being used was large, and the drain on his core would impact his ability to use skills, but the trade-off seemed worth it. With another push, he allowed the energy to move through his hand and into the hilt of the sword.
To his surprise, the sword accepted the Qi readily. As he pushed more into it, he saw for the first time that the weapon had channels of its own. They ran from pommel to sword tip in a loop, the two longest sides riding the very edges of the blade. The sword vibrated as the channels filled, and the connection between his core and the Soul within the blade snapped into place. A voice filled his head.
“Wielder? Back so soon? I had not expec-”
It cut off, then Brokkr spoke again, joy and pride evident in his voice.
“You have discovered something, I see. Well done, Wielder. You stand on the precipice of your dao, and I cannot interfere- even speaking to you could cause issue, so do not reply. Simply exist in the moment and absorb the knowledge. We will speak again.”
The connection didn’t disappear, but he could tell that it was muted by the other side. Rather than dwell on that, Leon refocused his mind. The First Dragon was clearly not one to mince words, and he would not lead him astray. He would follow his draconic partner’s suggestion. Exist and absorb.
Time lost all meaning as Leon dove into the vision once more. The swordsman’s movements were burned into his mind, so many times did he watch them. He began to be able to see the energy within the man’s body, moving in a loop between his core and blade. Subconsciously, he mimicked that loop, connecting to his weapon even more deeply as the exchange became automatic.
At first there was some energy lost in transmission, Qi escaping into the air and vanishing with the wind. His core dimmed and he was in danger of being pulled from his enlightenment when a surge of energy reached him. He accepted it, the familiar Qi coming with surprising warmth, and dove back into his work. The sword on his lap began to glow, the engravings on its blade turning a deep red as if lit from within. Slowly, as the connection solidified, that color transitioned to a bright red and then into an orange yellow, flickering like flames. The scale-like texture stood out against the light, like a dragon taking a breath, pulsing in time with the movement of Qi.
Time marched on, the cycle of the blade slowly improving. The energy he lost was restored by that same warm source so many times that he lost count, his mind entirely locked onto his study. Finally, the Qi lost during the cycle petered out and the connection locked into place. He felt as though he had become the sword, and the sword had become him. He was ready.
He stood slowly, deliberately, his eyes still closed to the outside world. The sword found its position almost of its own accord, so prepared was he to replicate what he had seen. He breathed in, the smell of desolation and heat reaching him. His soul was aimed like an arrow on a string at the mountain before him, at the center of the Formation that he knew existed without needing to look. He opened his eyes.
A wave of fire burst out from him, turning the sand at his feet to glass that cracked and popped as it cooled. He paid it no mind, his eyes locked on his target. He pushed everything he had into the sword until the engravings on it erupted in flames that wreathed the blade like a meteor falling to earth. He planted his feet and swung.
* * *
“My love! You’re back!”
Leon’s eyes opened once more, though he did not remember closing them. The face that swam in his vision was one of two that he carried in his heart, forever on his mind. The pink and green eyes that were inches from his own were misty but excited, seeming to search him for a response to the emotions that flooded the bond between them. He felt her love for him and sent back his own in kind, the first time he had done so of his own accord. Those eyes widened slightly and watered a touch more before her lips found his.
It was a chaste kiss, nothing that would have been out of place in the street, surrounded by strangers, but it blasted every other thought from his mind. Elzbeth pulled away with a blush on her cheeks, sitting back onto the floor. She had been leaning in with her hands on his knees to check his condition, but as he was quite obviously back and safe, she could assess him from a distance - or so she told herself. The two stared at each other for a long moment before she spoke.
“…sorry? Actually no, I’m not. I’ve been waiting far too long for that.”
Leon chuckled softly, not trusting himself to speak. He simply nodded and smiled, reaching out to take her small hand in his. She didn’t pull away, instead squeezing back hard as though clinging to him for dear life. Her emotions flowed through the bond were far more conflicted than the look on her face made them seem, and he sent a tidal wave of calm back in response. She physically shuddered and let out a sigh, her heart finding peace in his own. He gave her hand another squeeze and stood, pulling her to her feet with him. Her smile could have lit a dark cave.
“Ellie, thank you.”
Beaming even more broadly at his name for her, the Sprite in question tilted her head slightly in question.
“What for, love?”
“For restoring my Qi. I know no other who would do so with such love and care. I could not have succeeded without you.”
Elzbeth blushed again, looking surprisingly bashful for a woman who had just stolen a kiss.
“I mean, you were almost there and I didn’t want you to lose out on your Enlightenment. It’s far too important! Besides, it’s kinda my job to be there for you, you know.”
Leon smiled down at her softly.
“Thank you none the less. I felt your warmth even while I meditated.”
Elzbeth jumped, throwing her hands to her face. Leon felt strangely sad when her hand left his, an emotion that he would need to process later when his heart was not bound up by shock. The Sprite stepped closer and was fairly hopping with excitement.
“So you succeeded? With… whatever your enlightenment was?”
Leon nodded.
“I did. I have accepted the Dao of the Sword.”
Her mouth dropped open in shock.
“A Dao? You have a Dao? But we’re Dukes, we can’t-” she paused, shaking her head with a wry smile, “Of course you do. It’s you! Oh, I am so proud to be your Bonded partner!”
They were both shocked in the next moment as Leon reached out and pulled her in closer, hugging the small woman to his chest.
“You are far more than even that, to me.”
Elzbeth latched onto him in a hug- one that would have crushed a Foundation Building realm Cultivator- like her life depended on it. Like she was being washed away down a river towards the falls and he was her lifeline. Leon felt the fear and lack of confidence through their bond and lightly kissed the top of her head.
“I am sorry that I have not been… receptive. To you both. I-”
The door to the room swung open wide, slamming into the wall with a thunderous crash.
“Leon! Are you awake yet?!- Oop!” Hannah shouted into the small space, stopping as she eyed the pair’s embrace with a wink, “Am I… interrupting something?”
“No!”
“Yes.”
Elzbeth looked back around at Leon with a raised eyebrow, his affirmative response giving her pause. He released her slowly, turning to Hannah.
