Divine Arsenal: Dual Weapon Cultivation

by Dante King

  With my enhanced senses, it was almost easy to divert Mana to my palm, soothing the burn. Anna watched in amazement, her eyes widening as the red welt on my hand shrunk and faded. Within a few moments, the skin lay smooth and unbroken, as if I’d never done such a damn fool thing as shoving my hand in a candle’s flame to begin with.

  “That,” Anna whispered, her jaw hanging open, “is incredible.”

  “It’s a start,” I said with a shrug. “Yet another thing that feels like a video game.”

  “Skyrim,” Anna whispered, nodding. “I remember making the same leather jerkin and sword over and over again at the blacksmith’s forge, breaking it back down for parts every single time. Because practicing the skill over and over again gave you skill points, which made you level up.” Her eyes glazed over as she spoke about it, as if remembering the hours she’d spent holding the controller and exploring the world. “I made a super powerful character before I even got, like, ten percent of the way through the plot.” She frowned. “It kind of got boring when your character could just clown on everything, though.”

  “Real life won’t get boring,” I shot back. “We’re going to need every advantage we can get. We’re surrounded by Cultivators more powerful than us—like Guildmaster Ji—so if an exploit can get us powered up faster, then I’ll just have to burn the shit out of myself a few more times.”

  Anna giggled. “There’s got to be a better way to do it, though. I remember everything in that game made you stronger—running, jumping, swinging a sword, and killing monsters. If you just sit here all day burning yourself over and over again, people are going to start thinking you’ve got some kind of mental problem. They’ll whisper about you, gossiping around the town, and then where will we be?” She sighed. “Shit, we’ve already got a half-comatose girl traveling around with us. We don’t need to be the laughingstock of the whole province.”

  She was right. I could see that. “We’ll have to look for other opportunities,” I said, my mind working rapidly. Something clicked inside my head. “What about the cast-iron pot?”

  Anna’s eyebrows furrowed together. “What about the cast-iron pot?” she asked, popping a potsticker into her mouth. “Wait, is this another Skyrim thing or a ‘this world’ thing?”

  “Back in Hazel’s cabin,” I explained, “she carried that big cauldron around like it was nothing. The one she made our dinner in with her magic pill.” The more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Even in the real world, lifting regularly was a surefire way to increase one’s strength. Throwing Cultivation into the mix could give the whole thing a boost that could move me on my journey forward to becoming more powerful.

  “I think I’ve just figured out what my first method of paying Lyra back’s going to be,” I said, leaving the table and its single glowing candle behind. Anna followed behind me, still not quite understanding what I was talking about. I remembered that big cart of barrels Lyra brought with her back to the Hungry Herb Tavern. Surely those all hadn’t been unloaded in the night, right?

  “Hey, Lyra?” I pushed through the common room and into the back. Beyond the big set of double doors leading into the kitchen, chefs worked to put together the dishes Lyra and her servants served to hungry farmers and merchants. I was seeking the woman herself, however—I’d already eaten.

  The woman herself stood giving guidance to a harried-looking assistant. Clearly the place had been hanging on by its fingernails with the woman in charge gone. She gave me a surprised look to see me in her kitchen.

  “What are you doing back here?” Lyra asked. “I thought I told you and your girlfriend to take in the sights.”

  “That beer you brought with you,” I said briskly, crossing my arms over my chest. “Has it all been unloaded yet?”

  Lyra cocked her head to the side. “No—two of the miller’s boys usually help me with that, but they’re late this morning. Must be sleeping in.” One of her eyebrows rose. “Are you volunteering?”

  “I’d love to help,” I said, patting my hands together.

  Anna stared at me like I’d just grown a second head. “You’re doing manual labor?” she asked, frowning.

  I just grinned back. “You’ll see.”

  With a shrug, Lyra led us to the small loading area on the side of the tavern. The cart stood outside, the oxen nowhere to be found. A couple dozen heavy barrels of beer remained inside, sheltered by an awning next to the tavern’s side.

  “These aren’t needed immediately,” Lyra explained, gesturing at a cellar door sitting next to the entrance. “So I’d like you to put them down in the cellar. There’s more than enough space down there for beer and wine—this is all beer, though.” Lyra looked me up and down, frowning at my arms. “This is normally a two-man job. You sure you’re up for it?”

  “Gladly,” I said, smiling from ear-to-ear. “I need the exercise.”

  Again, Lyra gave me one of those expansive shrugs. “If you want to, I won’t stop you. I’d be glad for the help.” She stepped in closer, dropping her voice. “Just make sure you don’t pull any important muscles, Eric. I’m looking forward to our date tonight.”

  With a brief kiss on my cheek, Lyra headed back inside—winking from the doorway before pulling it closed. Anna let out a little aww as the redhead left us, as if she couldn’t have been more smitten with the older woman.

  “Well,” Anna said, turning her attention to the cart, “you’ve definitely got your work cut out for you. You’re not expecting me to help you lift these, are you?”

  I shook my head. “Just stay on standby. I might need a little help—especially if I throw my back out the first time I try this.”

  I climbed into the cart, the smell of sawdust filling my nostrils. The barrels were cool and slightly damp to the touch, the wood giving me plenty of handholds to grab onto and lift. Gritting my teeth, I wrapped my arms around one and lifted.

  Holy shit! Lyra hadn’t been lying about this being a two-man job. Honestly, it was probably more suited for three or four people. The miller’s boys must have been some stout lads.

  At first, the barrel refused to budge. Anna gave me a worried look, glancing up and down the street like she wanted to be sure help was nearby just in case I passed out. Then I opened my senses, reaching for the Mana in my Core, and the pressure eased.

  Still, it was no picnic. I lifted the barrel, holding it against my chest, and carried it from the cart to the packed earth next to the cellar door. It nearly slipped from my hands by the time I got there—it was that heavy.

  I sank to the ground next to it, panting. “Holy shit, babe,” Anna said, her fingers on my back. “That thing’s even bigger than you are. Maybe you should rethink this…”

  Probably she was right. But I couldn’t back down now.

  Instead, I reached for more Mana. The nearly invisible tendrils wrapped around my body, soothing away the burning sensation in my muscles. It felt like they were repairing at a rapid rate, just like the burn on my hand. And all the shit Anna’s claws did, I thought with a surge of lust.

  Within short order, I’d reached for my Mana again and carried the barrel down below. A narrow set of steps led into the deep darkness of the cellar. In the back, several barrels of beer and wine already sat, as if they were just waiting for their fellows to join them.

  By the time I got back, I was exhausted even with the Mana. But I could feel something happening—just like with the flame, I was growing stronger. I knew I was.

  Anna looked on proudly as I grabbed the next barrel, then pumped it up and down a few times like a weightlifter doing a bench press. “Show off,” Anna snickered—but she looked totally turned on.

  The effect was only ruined somewhat by a sudden rumble in my stomach. What the hell? Hadn’t I just eaten a big breakfast with Lyra? Why the fuck was I hungry?

  “It’s the Mana,” I grunted, setting the barrel down. My head swam, the world lurching from side to side. “Shit.”

  “Eric? Eric!” Anna caught me just
before I fell. “Are you alright?”

  After a few moments, the dizzy feeling receded. “Yeah, I’m okay,” I said, quelling her fears. “Actually, I kind of have a strange request. Would you run into the kitchen and ask whoever’s in there to bring me out a big basket of those potstickers?”

  Anna looked from me to the heavy barrel, her gaze sharpening. “No problem,” she said, beginning to nod. “You’re going to be at this a while, aren’t you?”

  “Only way to make progress,” I said, lifting the barrel into my arms. “I understand if you want to check out the town while I’m doing this, though.”

  “Oh, no—I’ll watch.” Anna pursed her pouty lips. “I don’t mind watching you get all hot and sweaty, Eric. In fact, I’ll have Kij bring me out a chair and a couple beers so I can cheer you on.”

  That was exactly what she did. It felt a little odd to have Anna lounging around, tossing peanuts at me and making obscene comments about my anatomy while I lugged barrels around, but she kept the food coming every time my Mana began to ebb.

  Before long, a few of the cuter barmaids had gathered around as well, laughing and joking with Anna as they watched me lift with my shirt off. She’s fitting in perfectly, I thought, grinning from the other side of the barrel as I lifted the latest keg of beer into the cellar. I bet Lyra will make things even better…

  “I’m jealous,” one of the barmaids said, batting Anna on the shoulder. “He’s such a strapping young man.”

  Was I? I guess I’d really turned myself into something special. Cords of muscle stood out on my arms and neck as I hauled another barrel down into the cellar, sweat pouring down my body. As I climbed the stairs and emerged into the light, a half-dozen barmaids fought each other to be the one who toweled me off. Anna watched with a wicked grin on her face, as if she were planning to invite a couple of them up into our room after we were done.

  Damn, I really lucked out with that girl, I thought, meeting Anna’s eyes over the heads of the giggling barmaids. She was gorgeous, dangerous in battle, and she seemed to be even more turned on over the idea of sharing me than I was. Had this person always been inside of Anna, just waiting to be let out of its cage? Or had my Cultivation powers transformed her somehow?

  “Ladies,” I said with a smirk, gesturing at the remaining barrels. There was more hand caressing my chest than towel—it seemed like most of the women were just using this as an excuse to feel me up. I didn’t mind, as long as Anna liked it - but I also needed to keep training. “Got a lot of work to do handling these barrels. They won’t go down into that cellar all by themselves…”

  Most of the girls dispersed, heading back to Anna, but one remained. She looked bolder than the rest.

  “I’ve got a few things you could handle, Eric,” she growled, guiding my hands to her full rump. “And believe me, I’ll most definitely go down…”

  With an invitation like that, I nearly threw her over my shoulders and carried her upstairs. Training or no, I was a man with red blood in my veins, and when a woman threw herself at me like that, I had to take note. I was certain Anna wouldn’t mind—in fact, she’d probably follow us up to my room and join in.

  Unfortunately, Lyra chose that moment to notice half her barmaids had disappeared.

  The side door of the Hungry Herb flew open, Lyra’s head sticking out into the street. “You lazy hussies!” she said, laughing. “Come to giggle like brainless bimbos over the Cultivator, have you?”

  In a flash, each of the barmaids looked as innocent as schoolgirls. “We were just helping out,” the bold girl said, jerking a thumb at Anna. “You know it’s slow enough in the mornings that we could lend a hand to the new folks.”

  “Aye, you’d lend far more than a hand if you could, Jessamyn,” Lyra said, arching an eyebrow. “All of you get back inside. And Eric…”

  I looked up and met her eye, a heavy barrel held against my chest. “Yes?”

  Lyra winked at me. “Keep up the good work.”

  Without the barmaids to coo and giggle over me, I was able to focus on my work—but said work became far less fun. Anna kept on providing plates of food and drink for me between barrels, refilling my empty stomach every time my Mana began to run low and that dizziness returned. After an hour or so, the last of the barrels rested safely in the cellar, ready to be brought up and served to customers when needed.

  I leaned against a wall as tendrils of Mana wrapped around me, soothing away my injuries. Anna sipped her beer as she devoured the sight of my shirtless body with her eyes. The barmaids had kept on supplying her with alcohol along with my food, and my girlfriend was nice and toasted by now.

  “I just want you to know,” she said, watching me dip a rag in water and wring it out over my neck, “that it was incredibly satisfying to watch you do that.”

  I met her eyes, and a crooked smile spread across Anna’s face. “I’m sure,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m shocked you’re not more jealous. Half the barmaids in the Hungry Herb have crushes on me now.”

  Anna nibbled her bottom lip. “So? I’ve got crushes on half the barmaids.” She took a step forward, taking the rag and running it over my chest. “Especially that Jessamyn. She seems like she’d be a lot of fun in the sack.”

  Again that dark impulse seized control of me. Suddenly I felt ten feet tall, and bold to match. “Why don’t I throw her over my shoulder and drag her back to our room, then? We could spend all morning taking turns on her.”

  Anna looked like she wanted to say yes, but her better nature cautioned her against it. “Because,” she said, slapping me on the chest with the rag, “you’ll tire yourself out before our date with Lyra tonight. Besides, I really do want to see this town.” She watched as the tendrils of Mana retreated from my body, a frown spreading across her face. “Have you noticed anything yet?”

  “Funny you should ask,” I said, pointing. She turned to see what I saw: black words appearing in mid-air, floating in space over the street:

  Comprehension of Muscle Increased 25%

  Strength Increased By 1%!

  Anna turned wide eyes on me, her jaw nearly hitting the floor. “Shit, it worked!” she cackled, giving me a high-five. “You can make yourself stronger even without a Guild, Eric! It’s just like a fucking video game!”

  It was. Somehow I knew that if I really put my back into it, I could get even stronger. Maybe even increase the speed by which I gained new abilities. I wanted to test it more, to experiment with different ways of gaining Cultivation, but Anna was right. We hadn’t even started exploring the town yet, and the morning was almost over.

  Besides, I thought, looking down at my stomach. I must have eaten a half-dozen plates of those pork potstickers. If I keep up at this rate, Lyra will have to close the Hungry Herb from lack of food…

  I’d figure out some way to compensate her, for sure. And as my naughty grin met Anna’s, I realized the two of us might just have the perfect way to do that.

  “So,” Anna said, clearly thinking about tonight as well. “The town?”

  “Totally,” I said, taking a step forward. “Wait, what’s wrong?”

  A strange smile flickered across Anna’s face. “You might want to put on a new shirt before we go,” she explained, her cheeks heated. “Otherwise it’s going to be lady boners all up and down the block wherever we go, and you’ll get more girls like Jessamyn throwing themselves at you…”

  That might not be so bad, I thought with a smirk. But I got what she meant.

  “New shirt,” I said, glancing down at myself. “Then we explore. Be right back.”

  I could tell she wanted to come with me. Watching me train had left Anna with a lady boner of her own. But it would have to wait until tonight to satisfy.

  Tonight, I belonged to Lyra and Anna. And I fully intended to make it the most awesome night of their lives.

  Chapter 15

  Lyra’s town was something else, alright.

  After the tiny forts and secluded hamlets that dotted the H
ollow Frog’s territory, exploring a properly-sized town again felt strangely freeing. This time of the morning, the market square bustled with activity, a multitude of vendors buying and selling everything from cattle to foreign currency. Everyone seemed to be doing their best to wheel and deal, from the loud-mouthed salesman hawking fresh fish to the wizened old man with a loupe against his eye appraising jewelry.

  “All you’d need to add is a rollercoaster,” I said, watching a group of children carrying freshly bought sweet treats pass us in the opposite direction. “What do you think, Anna?”

  She tittered as she examined the square. “You’re right. It does remind me a bit of the carnival,” she said, gazing at a rack of weapons. Unlike the swords and bows we’d seen back on Earth, these weren’t show pieces—they’d been designed for combat. “I think I like this one even more, though.”

  “You’d definitely ride the Green Dragon now, wouldn’t you?” I teased. The timid girl who’d been too afraid for thrill rides definitely wasn’t Anna any longer.

  Anna pursed her lips. “Why not? I’ve ridden your dragon plenty, haven’t I? Oh, Eric—look!”

  I’d been about to come up with a clever rejoinder when Anna bolted. Interested to see what she’d found, I double-timed it across the square. My girlfriend stood at the entrance to an oversized tent, red and white canvas forming an awning against the elements.

  Within the tent were clothes. Fine, silken sundresses and blouses, made from material as wispy as it was gorgeous. The dresses looked as if they’d been blown from spun sugar—like they’d been made by fairies instead of people.

  “Oh wow,” Anna whispered, fingering the sleeve of a gown. “I know this probably wasn’t what Lyra had in mind when she gave us that IOU, but…” Suddenly she looked girlish with glee. “Do you think I can go inside, Eric? Maybe pick up a cute dress?”