by A F Kay
The area between the fountain and the pews provided enough room to demonstrate, and Ruwen bowed to each woman. He started with the Viper Steps, letting the hard and violent movements build up energy in his body. As always, by the end, he felt like he might explode.
Without pausing, Ruwen transitioned into the Bamboo Steps, letting the energy slowly seep away with each gentle and fluid motion. The final Bamboo Step brought him back to the exact place he’d began. He bowed to each woman again and remained silent, unable to read their expressions.
The sisters studied him but remained silent. Standing still felt like torture, but he knew better than to fidget. When it came to the Steps, respect for those further on the path was expected. Even Rami had demanded it.
Without an interface and its clock, Ruwen had no idea how much time passed. It felt like an hour, but had probably only been a minute or two.
Thorn broke the silence. “Which is the most important Step?”
Ruwen tried to hide his confusion. There were thousands of steps that made up the larger Steps. Did Thorn mean one of the small individual steps that combined to create the sequence or the sequence itself? Or maybe she expected some sort of philosophical response, like the first step or the step you don’t take.
Part of the problem was how Ruwen had learned the Steps. He had used Last Breath to shield his mind from the damage Rami caused by speeding up his thoughts in the Spirit Realm. They had trained together in Ruwen’s mind for over four and a half years without pausing to sleep or eat. It had allowed Ruwen to catch up to someone like Sift, who had spent his whole seventeen years of life immersed in the Steps.
Since Ruwen didn’t know the official names of many Steps, he decided to go with philosophical. He thought about what the Steps meant to him. “The most important Step brings me closer to my goal.”
“What is your goal?” Mist asked.
The truth was, Ruwen had lost sight of most of his own goals. In hindsight, they were trivial. He’d wanted to cast a fireball and strut around in a Mage’s robe. With a wince, he also remembered how he wanted to prove his parent’s innocence.
Now his path included the goals of others. Uru’s and Pen’s goals mostly, and they centered on the same thing.
Ruwen locked gazes with Mist. “My goal is balance.”
Mist nodded.
“Do you always begin with the Viper Steps?” Thorn asked.
“Yes,” Ruwen said.
“Why?” Thorn asked.
Ruwen had already thought about this after he’d noticed the pattern in himself. “It feels right to me, but more than that, you need to take energy before you can return it. If I reverse them, the Bamboo Steps return nothing, and the Viper Steps leave me full of unused energy. Balance only exists from Viper to Bamboo. Take and return. Act and react. It is the proper balance.”
Thorn didn’t respond, and silence settled between the three of them again. After what felt like another hour to Ruwen, Mist spoke.
“How many Steps are there?” Mist asked softly.
This question had the same problem as the “importance” question from earlier. How did he count? In fact, he wasn’t even sure how the Steps were broken up, since the way he’d learned, it had all felt like one giant Step. Worse, he was convinced, and the Addas reaction confirmed, that there was a third form hidden in the movements of the Viper and Bamboo Steps. Did he count those? He didn’t even how many there were.
Which led him back to philosophical. The symmetry of the Steps made his brain happy. No matter how far he moved from his starting point, if he performed the Steps correctly, he ended up exactly where he’d started. And like he’d explained to Thorn, even his energy level remained the same at the end. It was like nothing had happened at all.
The thought echoed in his head: it was like nothing had happened at all.
The thought shook Ruwen, and it felt so right he blurted it out. “There are no Steps.”
The sisters looked at each other and then both looked at something over Ruwen’s shoulder. He dropped into the third meditative state until the urge to whip around and see what was behind him passed.
Mist nodded at whatever was behind Ruwen and then locked eyes with him. “We, the founding sisters of the Bamboo Viper Clan, accept you, Ruwen Starfield, and deem you worthy of the trial.”
In a blink, Thorn stood in front of Ruwen and she took his left hand. She smelled like citrus and her hand felt warm. Intense cold, like he’d held snow too long, appeared in his left palm. He looked down to see a red number appear: one hundred thirty-seven.
Thorn placed a finger on the number. “When this counter reaches zero, you will return to your crossing stone. To test as a Master in our Clan, you must reach the top of the peak behind me before that happens.”
Mist appeared beside Ruwen. “A Master of the Bamboo Viper Clan is an impressive accomplishment, and for most, this is where their training ends. A few will be offered additional training in a Grandmaster’s path. If you are chosen for this honor, we will make ourselves known to you upon reaching the summit.”
Thorn lifted Ruwen’s hand and the number in his palm dropped by one. “You can gain additional minutes in three ways. A successful strike to the head or chest of another participant will take a minute from their total and add it to yours.”
Mist pointed to the bamboo forest. “Eating special fruit found in the forest and mountain slope is the second method. The fruits have other valuable properties. Search them out.”
Thorn let Ruwen’s hand go. “There are other dangers waiting for you, and any damage you take reduces your minutes. Defeating these dangers is the third method to add minutes. You must balance progress with caution.”
“Third stage meditation will pause the countdown, and exempts you from damage,” Mist said. “But also stops you from moving. Use it wisely.”
Ruwen looked at the number on his palm and felt the urge to sprint toward the mountain. Looking up, he found the sisters had disappeared. Immediately he turned around and studied the area behind him. The headless fountain, pews half covered in shadow, and a damaged wall was the only thing he could see. He wondered if there had ever been anything back here, or if the sisters were playing games with him.
The sisters. Ruwen had suspected they were Grandmasters from their movements, but they were the founders. The originators of the Bamboo Viper Steps. Where was this place that they could still be alive.
That didn’t matter at the moment, though. Ruwen needed to make it to the summit as soon as possible. He strode out of the temple and onto the packed dirt of the road. The dirt felt hot against his bare feet. Glancing down at his palm, he read one hundred thirty-five.
Ruwen sensed the approach of someone behind him as a vibration through his feet. The stalker sprinted as they drew near and Ruwen twisted around, expecting to find his attacker. But no one was there. Too late, he saw the footprints in the dirt, and realized his attacker was invisible.
Throwing himself to the side, Ruwen almost avoided the blow to his head, but his attacker lightly grazed him, and his counter dropped to one hundred thirty-four.
The attacker turned and sprinted at Ruwen again. Ruwen closed his eyes, helping him focus on his other senses. As the assailant neared, Ruwen felt the air condense from another punch.
This time Ruwen stepped to the side, grabbed the attacker’s arm and threw himself backward. Ruwen used his feet and the attacker’s momentum to propel the attacker through the air. Ruwen did a reverse somersault and popped up to his feet.
The attacker crashed into a nearby wall, and Ruwen heard a groan. He strode toward the invisible form. Ruwen lacked detailed information about this place, and his attacker would provide it, or lose his remaining minutes.
Ruwen literally didn’t have any time to waste.
Chapter 29
As Ruwen strode toward the groaning, he remained alert for additional attackers. His weakest Step skill remained fighting without his vision, and it worried him that people could mak
e themselves invisible here. Relying on his other senses still slowed him down and altered his timing. Maybe this attacker could tell him how to become invisible too.
A figure slowly came into view as the invisibility faded, and Ruwen sprinted forward in concern. An old man, who looked at least eight hundred years old, had appeared. Ruwen had never seen so many wrinkles on a person, and brown spots covered the old man’s skin. White stubble was all that remained of his hair, and he held his side.
Ruwen slowed as he approached, having learned too many times not to let appearances fool him.
The old man met Ruwen’s gaze and then winced in pain. He looked miserable.
“I’m sorry, child. I have dishonored myself.”
The old man looked at his hand and Ruwen read seventy-eight.
“Why did you attack me?” Ruwen asked.
“Desperation. I’m trying to save my grandson.”
“Excuse me?”
The old man pushed himself to his feet and bowed while still holding his side. “My Step name is Pine.”
Ruwen returned the bow. “I’m Ruwen.”
Pine nodded. “I have been teaching my grandson the Steps. He found my crossing stone and touched it. I’m trying to find him before his time runs out and he’s sent back home. He’s only learned twenty Steps and shouldn’t be here yet. He’ll never make it to the Journeyman glade without help.”
“Journeyman glade?”
Pine tilted his head. “Is this your first time here? From that throw I assumed you were a Master.”
Ruwen avoided the question. No reason to explain he skipped the Journeyman initiation and that he was only an Adept. “Why didn’t you just ask for help?”
Pine winced again. “I am not the only desperate person here, and I can’t afford to trust anyone. Not when my grandson’s future is at stake. I have wasted too much time talking already. Please forgive me and let me continue my search.”
Ruwen didn’t feel any sympathy for Pine’s injury. The old man had brought that on himself. But assuming it was the truth, looking for a lost grandchild tugged at Ruwen’s compassionate side. He wondered if this was part of the test the Founders had created and if it might be a trap.
It didn’t matter, Ruwen had never met his grandparents, and he had to admit he felt some affection for the old man who badly wanted to find his family. Ruwen had been carrying around that same need for the entire year his parents had disappeared.
“If it’s so dangerous here, let’s work together. I’ll help you find your grandson, and you tell me everything you know about this place.”
Pine glanced at his palm, bit his lip, and then sighed. “I pray to the Enlightened One you are an honorable man.”
“I’m not sure I’m honorable, but I’ll keep my word. Lead the way.”
Pine nodded, moved to the center of the street, and made his way toward the bamboo forest. Ruwen followed, staying alert for any threats.
“How were you invisible?” Ruwen asked.
Pine answered while monitoring their surroundings. “Almost fifty years ago I came here as an Adept, and I remembered a bramble bush north of the ruins. I would have given you a run for your money back then.”
Why would Pine want to run with Ruwen’s money? “Wait, you only tested fifty years ago? How old are you?”
“Seventy-six,” Pine said. “The Steps have kept me young.”
Ruwen looked at Pine in disbelief. “You mean seven hundred and six.”
Pine gave a short laugh. “What do I look like? An elf?”
The elves Ruwen had seen looked nothing like Pine. “No. You just, uh, don’t look your age.”
Pine smiled but kept his eyes on the decaying buildings around them. “I told you, the Steps are the secret to my health.”
Pine was obviously joking, and Ruwen let it drop. He needed information. “How many fruits are there?”
“There are three sorrow fruits, red, green, and black. The red sorrow are the most plentiful. They’re basically cherries that increase your senses and add a minute to your counter.”
Those were the ones Madda had said Sift loved.
Pine slowed and studied a building to their right. Ruwen did as well.
Ruwen closed his eyes and concentrated. “I hear three in there.”
“Let’s head further north,” Pine said. “Fighting will only delay us.” As they moved, Pine continued. “Green sorrow are like grapes that increase your physical abilities and add fifteen minutes. They’re harder to find. The last ones are black sorrow berries. They add thirty minutes and make you invisible until you take damage.”
Two women and a man emerged from the building Ruwen and Pine had moved to avoid. The strangers headed directly toward them.
Ruwen stopped and faced the newcomers. “Stop advancing immediately.”
The trio slowed but didn’t stop. The tallest woman spoke. “You look like more trouble than you’re worth. Give us the old man and we’ll let you go.”
Ruwen took three steps toward them. The three all looked at least a decade or two older than Ruwen, and all were Adepts. But in the seconds they’d strode toward him, they’d given him a massive amount of information on their skill levels.
From their breathing and posture alone, he knew that while they might be Adepts like Ruwen, their training hadn’t remotely approached his. The fact that they didn’t recognize these things in Ruwen reinforced his conclusion on their skills.
Ruwen relaxed and gave them one more chance. “Turn around now or I’ll take half your minutes.”
The tall woman laughed, and while the man frowned and the shorter woman looked uncertain, they didn’t stop.
Ruwen didn’t bother speaking again. He hadn’t disguised his Step skills and had warned them twice. It was far more warning than they deserved. Again, just like the appearance of the old man, he wondered if this constituted some sort of test by the Founders. It was impossible to know, so he decided to just react, and not change his behavior at all.
Ruwen sprinted toward the three Adepts, closing the distance in two seconds. The coiled energy of the Viper Steps filled his muscles, eager to attack and dominate.
The three Adepts transitioned into Bamboo Steps, spreading out and lowering their stances, preparing to counter his Viper attacks. They didn’t show any concern yet, which reflected badly on their training. They should fear him.
Few fights were fair, and Rami had not neglected this fact when training Ruwen. He had years of experience fighting against multiple opponents, and Rami rarely gave him something as easy as this.
Ruwen struck at the tall female first, feigning a strike to her right shoulder. She shifted her body and raised her arms, preparing to grab his arm and flip him. Instead of striking, Ruwen ducked under her raised arms, stepped behind her, and stood.
Ruwen slammed his left elbow into the back of her head, making sure to strike her skull and not her spine. He didn’t want to kill any of them, but he also wanted to end the fight quickly. It was a delicate balance.
The tall woman went limp, stunned by the blow. Ruwen let her fall and stepped toward the male. The man had half turned to follow Ruwen’s rapid movement, making his stance unstable.
Ruwen kicked the back of the man’s knee, collapsing his leg and throwing him completely off balance. As he fell, Ruwen struck the man’s temple with stiffened fingers, hitting a nerve bundle that would temporarily paralyze the right side of the man’s body. Before the man struck the ground, Ruwen hit him behind the ear with a right jab, using just enough force to black him out.
Leaping to the side, Ruwen turned to face the last of the trio, but the woman had already sprinted away, and Ruwen let her go.
Turning to Pine, he pointed at the tall woman. “Check her palm and take half her minutes.”
Pine stood very still, staring at Ruwen. “Who trained you?”
“A very demanding young dragon and a falcon that can barely fly.”
Pine looked confused but didn’t ask for clarificat
ion. “You honor them with your skill. I am thankful you spared me.”
Ruwen nodded and pointed at the woman again. “Take half.”
“It seems wrong to take it while they’re unconscious.”
Ruwen shrugged. “They were warned. Twice. Shade’s first rule: honor is a poison the weak can’t survive. Weakness won’t find your grandson, and these two only have themselves to blame.”
The last comment made Ruwen smile. It was the first “Rule” he’d heard, delivered in Ky’s no-nonsense way in the library on the day of his Ascension.
Pine’s jaw firmed, and he strode over to the woman. Ruwen picked up the man’s hand and read his palm: two hundred ninety-eight. He flicked the back of the man’s head one hundred forty-nine times and then read his own palm.
Ruwen now had two hundred seventy-nine minutes.
Pine stood from the unconscious woman. “I’m over three hundred now.”
“Good. Lead the way.”
A few minutes later they slowed as the buildings ended. A hundred-foot clearing appeared and there were over thirty people meditating. Most were by themselves, but a few were grouped together.
“What are they doing?” Ruwen asked.
Pine looked up into the sky. “Nightfall is coming. Day and night cycle every four hours here. The vipers are more active at night, so many retreat to this clearing to wait the night out before trying again.” Pine’s voice filled with worry. “I really wanted to find him before nightfall.”
“How much time do we have?” Ruwen asked.
“Maybe half an hour.”
“Where is this Journeyman’s clearing?”
“It’s halfway to the summit of Mount Sorrow. But I don’t even know if the Founders spoke with him. He might not even know where to go.”
“What makes getting to the top so difficult?”
“Bewildering mist, vipers, desperate Adepts, snares, terrain, and the whispers.”
“Whispers?”
Pine looked sad. “It’s like the mountain itself doesn’t want you to succeed. It preys on your weaknesses. I love my grandson, but he’s had a hard life, and can be a little hotheaded. I’m scared he’ll be easy prey for this terrible peak.”