by Philip Read
Chapter 29
Ava
“I know you are tired Yolanda but you know better than to collapse on your bones, you will rest in an hour I assure you.
“Just keep it together a bit longer and we will move to the next pose.
“Yes that’s beautiful Achmed, keep it up you’ve improved greatly. Hold that stomach in tight Alicia, keep every muscle you can tight.
“Yes that’s it everyone, now exhale slowly thought your nose. Slowly slowly, until you empty your lungs.
“Some have more breathe than others but I want you all empty of air. Push yourselves and hold it there, lock your air passages so no air comes back in.
“I know it’s painful but you can all hold it.
“Focus on your body, your focus is always on your body in yoga. Feel everything that’s struggling.
“Feel the muscles struggling to hold you up, the ligaments straining from the tension. Know every part of your body that’s working right now.
“No, don’t lock your joints Anderson. Everyone even if you feel you are about to collapse I want you to maintain the stance.
“Yes shaking is good Ezra it means your muscles are giving up before your mind does.
“Now inhale through your nose slowly, fill up those lungs. I know the impulse is to take a deep quick breath but train yourself to maintain discipline.
“I promise you won’t pass out from being out of breath here.
“In slowly, all the way in. To the deep parts of your lungs, start actively pulling the breath in and hold it there a moment.
“Let the nutrients of the air get a chance to fully dissolve into your blood through the lungs.
“Hold it for as long as you can, again some can hold for longer than others. But as you exhale through both your mouth and nose I want you to slowly move out of tattibhasana slowly.
“Breathing out air empty of nutrients, maintain your balance all the way through.
“Until you are all downward facing. Lift your bums and do a sliding pushup. Head going down then swinging up and out as you exhale. No locking your elbows, your muscles must work Alison.
“Then a reverse pushup as we inhale deeply. Going all the way down as our bums lift again and we push up into a downward facing hound. Push into your calves, feel your body throughout the process.
“Listen to which parts of your body get strained as you do what. Which muscles are tight today, meditate on your body.
“Push back down, head going down as the elbows bend then scoop your head up slowly into an arc as you exhale. Your bum following your body all the way down until you are stretching that lower back area.
“Feel your body as you hold the breath there a moment. And back down again, doing reverse pushups and pulling all the way, bum going up as you inhale. Shoulders going up, arms extending until they are straight.
“Very good everyone, we do those twenty times and we move into a head stand with leg and hip stretches. From there we go to hand stands working on our center of gravity.”
*
We go through the torture of advanced yoga one. A compulsory yoga training session for the Chosen conducted by trainer Adriana. Those that were trusted enough to advance past the recruitment phase.
Which was also a type of torture, I used to think I had stamina but the sadists of the Community Training Conclave proved me wrong.
*
It took us over a year to get here from the Tundra. Over two hundred mostly young tribesmen and women that have never left their ancestral lands. Following a hand drawn map through two continents, three if you include our own to reach the super landmass known as Pangaea by most. A perilous journey.
Traveling through forests and jungles, across cliffs and rivers. Reaching the edge of our continent at our intended passage point and meeting the eery undine. Half land men, half water men. Comfortable and capable of survive on either land or water. Choosing to live on a series of island continents that apparently separate our continent from the rest of the violent world.
We travelled hard and lost a few of our people through bad luck, ignorance or arrogance. A few killed by beasts along the way. One drowning in the ocean, an oldish lady, Elgar, just never woke up one morning. We didn’t even find a spider bite on her.
The undines led us from Sandaria, our continent apparently, to their islands through underwater passageways. Long tunnels with walls made of flowing water but breathable air and dry ground to walk on.
It was all very beautiful and a lot of us appreciated it. You could even snatch a fish from the water wall like fruit from a tree. After the first tenday though I was utterly sick of it. The light was too bright but never warm enough. The tunnel too straight and boring, there was hardly anywhere to get a good fight or a fuck without resorting to being an exhibition..
By our second ten day I considered drowning myself in the water wall and I thoroughly missed Teà and Sachi. A scandalous admission but I missed them all the same. Teà is my little cousin and I love her. Sachi a friend that sooths my adventurous untameable spirit, the friend I was meant to have.
I shake my head just thinking of that boy, where would he be without my guidance? Any woman could take complete advantage of the impressionable fool. At least when I approached Freydìs to finish his education on women I knew she cared about him somewhat. Who will look out for the strangely soft hearted Barbarian that refused to kill till he was so old?
Plus he loves easily and deeply. Not mating love but love of a friend and it hurts him to lose a friend. Which is the main reason he makes so few among the young men of the tribe. They are just too eager to die for his tastes.
I regret not letting him know I would be leaving for the strange bald warriors mapped location. I regret not getting a chance to say goodbye for I have no one else besides ny aunt, my cousin and my friends. But to be honest I expected him to follow as soon as he was recovered. I even made sure we left a trail the blind hermit could follow.
*
“There is no resting state for most humanoids of Gaia. This world is perfect for growth and advancement. For it is designed to challenge us constantly to improve ourselves, to test ourselves against it’s chosen weapons, beasts and nature.
“As you all stand there wide eyed, panting and gapping at me you are all working all the time. Your skin is uncomfortably tight. You don’t realise this because you have gotten used to it.
“Your bones are straining to hold up all that weight. Your muscles and counter muscles are always pulling and releasing, keeping you upright.
“Even when you lie down you use different muscles. As one part of you rests, the other works.
“Constantly keeping you challenged, working, struggling. We are designed this way. Especially humans, the short lived humanoid race. Too much peace and contentment and we stagnate, at least that’s what happens with most of us.
“Take Romanæ for instance. A empire that conquered most of the kingdoms on its continent and several others on other continents. It ruled nearly an ⅛ of all of known Gaia at some point. A territory so large that it took several years to travel from one side of it to the other.
“Then they instituted an experimental form of governance known as democracy. A beautiful and admirable concept even with its potential for fostering corruption of a different sort than the one they were trying to curtail. Yet now the ancient Romanæn Empire is a single kingdom smaller than the Barbarian tundra. Why?
“Because democracy eventually led to stagnation. As Romanæ sat on its high ground judging the rest of the world for its archaic and barbaric forms of governance it enjoyed a long peace and great financial growth. Becoming the great merchant empire of its age.
“But giving too many dissenting voices equal weight led to doing less and less. And even the little that was done undermined from within the empire by a different faction. Even as runaway slaves and many hopeful flocked to its borders hoping for a better life. Within 200 years Romanæ couldn’t sustain itself and looked to star
t conquering again.
“But all its neighbours had long since fortified and prepared for the eventuality, led by Kings and Queens that were unquestioned by their people. It eventually started breaking up into the smaller kingdoms we now mostly know as the Badlands, ruled by warlords. They became stagnant, something Gaia doesn’t naturally allow to happened.
“But not all races are constantly challenged like the humans. The long lived races especially find rest within Gaia.
“Boromor get comfortable.” The trainer says loudly and Boromor immediately slumps with a sigh.
“In his current position this young man is comfortable, putting the least amount of strain and pressure on any of his muscles and joint. An elf can maintain a comfortable position for days without discomfort, a demi-human even longer, and don’t even get me started on a beast.
“But humans have to keep moving, have to keep repositioning. We are designed this way for a reason. Alright you have the rest of the day off. All the tribesmen are to go see Massimo, dismissed.”
We all sigh with relief and slump down. “How was your session today Ava?” Astrid asks bringing me a jug of water.
“The same.” I say chunking it down and pouring the rest over me head.
“Do you know what the big man wants with us?” I ask standing as she gives me a towel.
“Rumours are they will be sending us home.” She sighs, “I don’t think I want to go home Ava.” She whispers.
I nod. There are 247 of us in this training group. A diverse training group that includes humans, elves, a few dwarves, demi-human beastmen, two undines, a naga, a drow, a bear, and not a bear of a man but an actual bear, a halfling, a few fae and what I’m told is a ghoul. Though Adam looks pretty human to me.
Ever since the tribesmen got here we became the most numerous group. Most of our expedition was made up of those rare Barbarians born without the berserker rage. Or born unable to unlock the rage, resulting in their prospects as warriors being limited within the tribes.
Many expected to be taught a secret way to unlock the rage. But all we got was training, training and more training. We trained so much that someone actually did discover their berserker was just lying dormant, Belarus. A quiet young man from the Savage tribe that had been shunned all his life for his disability.
To be a Savage without the Rage is to be deserving of pity. His newly discovered berserker didn’t help him get out of training though as he was quickly subdued by the trainer, who did some mental voodoo and got Belarus back to normal and back to training in no time.
We didn’t even touch a weapon the first three months of our arrival. Nothing but running, stretching, guided meditation, philosophy, writing, reading, swimming, yoga, meditation, hand to hand fighting, meditation, painting, meditation.
It was the longest 90 days of my life, they didn’t even allow us to bed each other. By the end of the three months we were separated into two groups. Those that wanted to continue training or those that wanted to pursue other pursuits.
Astrid chose to be a sort of servant. I still don’t understand it, but the soft spoken young woman likes serving people.
“Alright, let’s meet up with everyone and head to Master Massimo the Stoic.”
It doesn’t take long to collect everyone. This current training camp only consisting of 24 tribesmen. The few that were approached about joining the Conclave and accepted. The rest still at the entrance camp training there without access to the secrets of the Conclave. Not even knowing where this camp is.
“I’m glad all of you came so quickly.” Massimo says adjusting his robes.
“I will get to the point then. All of you that are ready to go home may do so, you have reached a minimum level of understanding and skill we can tolerate being associated with our name.
“We know your people are at war but we encourage you to return to complete your training as soon as you can. Some of you will be ready to Awaken in only a few years. Especially those that have taken well to meditation…”
We groan.. At his words. Meditation has been the most difficult thing for us to learn. But those first three months ground it into our heads over and over. I mainly persisted because I had seen Sachi doing it and told him how stupid he looked. I grin at the though. Meditation is as easy as breathing now.
“The others at camp Genesis are already packed and ready to disembark. Try not to divulge our secrets out there, and may the Trinity be with you.”
With those words we scatter to our dorms to collect our accumulated possessions. We all grin at each other as we pack, the excitement palpable.
The few years we’ve spent with the conclave have made a huge impact on us. The training guided and meticulous, the advice sound and practical. Never has the been a more elite type of training than what we’ve gone through in the past two years.
And its all very exciting because we get to go home and show off our new skills. There has never been a group Barbarians more capable than we are. We will rock the foundation of the Tundra and change how our people define strength.
Chapter 30 Interlude
Unknown
“Are we ready?” I ask the 23 men and women assembled before me.
“You know I quit like it here. These Sandersonians show proper reverence to men accomplished in the magical arts.” Albert says nursing a chalice of wine.
“The negotiations are complete.” Diana says quickly. “The grandmaster magicians are already on the move. Our presence here will not even be felt.”
Assad nods. “Once the Sandersonians have bypassed the barbarians getting in and out without the fae detecting should be easier.”
“What did the greedy magicians finally settle on in exchange?” I ask, Cecile smiles knowingly. She has been enjoying herself the most in this new land we’ve discovered.
“We taught them how to commune with spirits and got them on the path to making permanent enchaments.” Assad says.
“Nothing they wouldn’t have discovered themselves with a little traveling and trading. Good. Well, let’s get ready to swoop in and collect the ore when the borders open.”
We raise our glasses in salute and drink. All seems to be going well for the Circle.
* *
Sachi
The arrival of the Maori was the beginning of the end. Large tall men comparable to Barbarians but slightly more rounded. Using mostly hatchets, clubs, bludgeons and maces. Weapons I see were designed to fight men in armour but just as effective against us if not more so.
Only through going berserk and the benefit of training could we overpower them in battle. That and waiting them out, for we still had greater stamina than them. But the southern generals knew this and only used the Maori when a battle was close to being decided.
The dwarves still pushing us back and replacing the troops needed to fight a retreating battle when the Sandies changed out their lines. By that point we were outnumbered 4 to 1 in our own lands. Cursing ourselves for the many years of infighting that always culled our population, preventing us from proliferating the land.
The changing tactics and different specialized fighting groups confusing our war-chiefs and their planners. One of the greatest shocks came when the old man Zhen informed us that several grandmaster magician had joined the army.
This shocked us for two reasons, firstly because the mages up to this point had killed the most tribesman and where the most difficult to counter. Our warriors only saved by the ability of artifacts to deflect or block magic somewhat. And here was this old man telling us we weren’t facing the best magics the southerners had all this time, no, we’ve been facing mere master magicians, magisters and simple magicians.
The second shock was that if old man Zhen was correct in his estimate of their power in comparison to what we’ve been facing, then we had absolutely no counter for them. A magician is apparently a person newly Awakened to their element and still learning new things. The difference between a magician and a magister is knowledge and experience.
Magisters have furthered their study and have expertise magicians don’t initially have. The difference between a magister and a master magician being power level. Such a great power difference that even two magisters cannot hope to face a master and survive.
The difference between master and grandmaster being even more power. Compatible to Awakened King on the martial path. Grandmasters are not even commanded by the king. So if they are here, they are here by choice. Ready to put an end to this war by obliterating us.
*
That was the beginning of our fall. The beginning of the fall of the tribes. Our pyre was built and oiled in preparation for the death of my people.
The torch though, the conniving elves carried the torch as they joined our enemies. The Sun Elves that lived in at the other side of the Dawn, where humanoid apparently aren’t hunted by beasts after dawn. The Dawn, a forest know as the Sun Forest.
When the Sandersonians, the Stone Dwarves, the Maori, the grandmasters, and the Sun Elves combined against us the only thing we could do is surrender or die. And so we died.
* * *
When the forces combined against us finally broke through the stranglehold we had on the passages into our towns and villages it marked the beginning of the end for the barbarian ways.
Hundred of thousands of Sandies in their hatred and thirst for revenge. Revenge for the hundreds of thousands of their country men we had sent to the Ever After. Revenge for the audacity we’ve had to stand against them for so long, revenge for the fear we had put in their hearts.
Leaving the most conquering kingdom in the continent for the passed 300 years utterly satiated of war.
They took their rage out on our villages, our women, our children. But even there they fought for every step of land they took. Even our women and children died with blood on their axes, their daggers, their teeth. The hate that allowed the Sandies to endure the sight of war and slaughter. Protecting their delicate psyche from the realities of war also allowed them to commit unspeakable atrocities. The greatest of which was marking the souls of our people into obedience, slavery. Soul bound slavery, a despicable invention.