by Aaron Oster
“When I have gathered sufficient intelligence, we will meet at the Palladium Vein,” Hana said as she opened another portal. “Until then, stay vigilant. The enemy could come after us at any time.”
***
Azure stood, watching the movement of the world as disaster began to unfold on the continent he was most interested in.
“Don’t even think about it,” Crimson said, as though reading his mind.
“Oh, calm down,” Azure replied, waving a dismissive hand. “They’re perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.”
While he put on a good front, Azure was inwardly cringing. The odds were stacked against them. This was all happening too fast. No Ancient Cavern Beast was supposed to rise for another fifty years at least, though, with the new arrivals to the continent nearly seventeen years ago, it was hardly a surprise. Creatures rarely liked others encroaching on their territory.
“Even if they are not,” Crimson said, watching the events unfold. “You cannot intervene unless…”
“Unless every Scion perishes,” Azure said, rolling his eyes. “I know.”
Crimson’s lips pulled up in a smirk, then she reached over to pat his head condescendingly.
“Do cheer up, Azure. Think about it this way. If they all die, you get a clean slate. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
Azure hid a grimace as he swatted the woman’s hand away. That was the biggest problem of reaching their lofty heights. The lives of millions of people became as unimportant as the lives of ants. Every single one of his colleagues had lost their sense of empathy toward mortals long ago. Of them all, he was the only one who still cared, and seeing so many die hurt him in a way he could not put into words.
A flare of power shone on the surface of the world, and just for an instant, the entire continent seemed to glow in a mixture of gold and red.
“What was that?” Crimson asked, turning toward the source of the light.
Azure smiled as the light vanished, appearing once more in an alternate space.
“Well?” Crimson asked when he didn’t answer right away.
Azure thought of the best way he could answer, but in the end, only one word came to mind.
“Salvation.”
***
Ferry breathed in, her body drenched with sweat, shedding more fur, and shrinking by another couple of inches as she advanced to Purple. It had been a long, tough few weeks to get to this point, but in an environment like this, one so packed with Darkness Essence, she’d managed to advance faster than ever before.
She also had some serious motivation, as her seemingly uncontrollable desires were threatening to ruin her relationships with those she considered to be her family. Her eyes flickered open, blending perfectly with the darkness in her surroundings. Her mind felt clearer, sharper, and she felt like she had more control.
The odd, burning desire she’d been feeling each and every day had lessened considerably, and now she could see things from a more rational point of view. So many things, concepts that had previously eluded her, now made sense.
“I was jealous,” she muttered, reaching up to feel at her cheeks, which now contained only a few small patches of fur, then up to her head, where new strands of hair had grown, covering it completely.
Her next advancement would rid her of almost everything that made her look bestial. She could still feel her tail, though she was confident that if she wanted to, she could be rid of it when she advanced to Red. She didn’t think she would, though. She liked her tail.
Now that she could think clearly, Ferry examined her feelings for Roy. She loved him, without a doubt. Whenever she thought about him, she got a warm, fluttery feeling in her stomach, not to mention how amazing he smelled. Before, it had confused her, but now that she knew he was half-Beast, it made a lot more sense.
Still, regardless of how she felt, Roy loved Aika. Yes, he loved her too, but not in the same way.
Her question still remained. Did she put aside her own feelings for Roy and search elsewhere for the strange new feelings that were stronger than the desire to mate and have offspring, or did she keep pursuing his affections in hopes that he would turn away from Aika?
Ferry let out a sigh, already knowing the answer. As much as he loved her, unless Aika were to suddenly disappear, Roy wasn’t going to change his mind. The answer was clear and basically made up for her. If Roy was already taken by someone else, she would just need to find someone other than him to love her.
But until that time came, she knew it would be all but impossible for her to be around him. Her feelings would mess with her common sense, and she might end up hurting him unintentionally.
Although it caused her great pain, Ferry knew that it was for the best. That didn’t mean it was easy, though. She scratched a short message into a nearby tree trunk, infusing it with her Qi. Geon would undoubtedly feel it and direct Roy and Aika here when they got out of the Dungeon.
They would be upset, but hopefully, they could understand why she’d had to leave.
Despite knowing that this was what needed to be done, it took her the better part of a day to force herself from that spot, and when she did, it was only after running out of tears to cry. For the first time in her life, Ferry was striking out on her own, and she was going to miss her family dearly.
***
Aika slumped as the Red Torii gate vanished, taking Roy along with it. She’d been putting on a strong front for Roy, but now that he was gone, she let out a long groan as the multitude of wounds and injuries made themselves known all at once.
The fact that Roy had just gone in to test for his Red-Belt was enough to keep her from drifting too far into the discomfort and pain her body was currently experiencing. Ever since she’d known him, Roy had been the weaker one, the one she needed to protect and keep safe. He needed her. How would things between them change when he emerged? Would he even be a Base Red, or would he be stronger?
Judging by the amount of energy he’d had in him, she wouldn’t be surprised if he came out at the peak of Red, getting ready for Gold. On the other hand, things seriously slowed down after Purple, and even with all that power he’d been carrying, it was only Essence and Qi. However, the little Chakra he’d brought along with him would definitely help smooth the transformation process to give him his Perfect Body. His body would be reforged in Chakra, given new strength and the ability to start using techniques that showed his own Path's uniqueness.
Of course, Roy could already have started once he’d hit Green, but just as she hadn’t begun to branch off, neither had he.
Aika stretched out her leg, then hissed as pain radiated up from the limb, breaking her from her thoughts.
She looked around the glossy cavern, trying to find something that she could distract herself with. There were no chests full of treasure, nor did it seem like she would be getting any reward for her hard work, not that she was complaining. Helping Roy accomplish his goals was just as, if not more, fulfilling than accomplishing her own.
Almost unbidden, her eyes trailed over to the statue on the far side, the one she assumed to be Roy’s mother. Well, if that crazy, emaciated man living at the center of the Blackwood were to be believed.
Letting out a low grunt, Aika pulled herself to her hands and knees and crawled over to the statue. If she was going to be stuck here while Roy fought through his test, she may as well do something to pass the time.
It didn’t take her long to reach the statue, and Aika leaned in, examining its features with a scrutinizing gaze. Even this close up, it was hard to see any resemblance to Roy. The statue’s features were muddled, though, some of them partially covered by the crystal. She reached out, brushing her fingers over the stone and trying to clear some of it away.
As soon as her skin made contact, the cavern vanished. A second later, Aika found herself surrounded on all sides by pure blackness. A single figure stood before her, her feet floating an inch off the ground.
She was dressed in flowing whit
e robes, and a black and white Belt rippled around her waist in a mesmerizing pattern. Her features were fine and delicate, her skin an almost alabaster white. Her pupils were slitted, surrounded by silver irises and black sclera. A large, bushy tail flicked behind her, and from her stark white hair poked a pair of small, curved horns.
“Aika,” she said, her voice carrying so much warmth that Aika almost wanted to cry.
This woman was, for lack of a better term, divine. Her beauty was nearly blinding and made that of a Sovereign, like Ikari, pale in comparison.
Aika dropped to her knees and looked down, her legs going weak as they fell out from under her. Small ripples spread out from around them, as though she knelt in water, but Aika didn’t feel so much as a hint of dampness.
A hand, glowing and white, fell on her shoulder, and another tilted her chin up. Aika found herself unable to resist, staring deep into her fathomless eyes.
“You have come a long way, haven’t you? And you have been through so much pain and anguish. But I can feel your heart… It’s so full of love and compassion. My son could not have asked for someone more worthy.”
Aika could feel tears streaming down her cheeks now. The woman’s words were so powerful. Aika could feel the sorrow his mother felt, for her, someone she had never met, in the soft touch on her chin and comforting grip on her shoulder.
She couldn’t believe that this divine woman was Roy’s mother.
“You have many questions. About my son. About yourself, and about the man who killed your father.”
Aika nodded, almost dumbly as the woman’s expression became even sadder.
“I will tell you all I know, but I must apologize in advance for the pain my brother has caused you.”
Aika’s brows furrowed at that, confusion warring with her burning curiosity. Thankfully, Roy’s mother continued speaking, her voice echoing strangely in their odd surroundings.
“After my fall, he became lost. You must go to him and bring him back to himself. Your world is in danger, and my husband cannot succeed without his aid. It will be difficult, especially for you. But you must know that the man on the surface is not the same as the one who killed your father. Nor is he the same as the one who wanted my son dead.”
Aika’s eyes widened, and for the first time, the spell she was under began to recede.
“Wait, you can’t be talking about…about that monster,” Aika exclaimed, feeling anger and confusion warring in equal measure.
“There are many monsters in this world, child,” the woman said, giving her a sad smile. “I was once one of them, as was he. Now, he is lost. Find Doragon, help him find his way, and all of that anger and pain will disappear.”
Aika sagged, feeling her emotions roil inside her, pushing all rational thought aside and threatening to overwhelm her.
“Peace, young one,” Roy’s mother said, placing a cool palm on the center of her forehead. “Put your mind at rest. We will speak again when my son returns.”
Aika felt her eyes become heavy, her mind slowing to a screaming halt. Warmth enveloped her as she relaxed, her muscles unclenching as she slowly found herself laying down, her head coming to rest on the woman’s lap.
Cool fingers stroked at her cheek and hair, and a low, melodic humming that sounded so very familiar accompanied her into the land of dreams.
***
Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning flashed. Rain came down in sheets, making travel all but impossible, even for the hardiest of people. Yet in the downpour stood a man, his features obscured by a heavy cloak. He stumbled, dropping to his knees, his head pounding and pain blooming behind his eyes.
He glared down into a puddle and saw a pair of burning red eyes stare back at him. He leaned closer, reaching up to touch his face and run his fingers over the slick skin. A small flicker of something passed behind his eyes, and a word, as though whispered by a hissing voice, sounded in his mind.
“Doragon,” the man said, looking down at the unfamiliar features reflected back at him. “Who is that?”
Thunder cracked overhead and the rainstorm intensified, washing over him like a solid stream, instead of millions of individual droplets. The man looked up to the sky, spreading his arms wide, his eyes closed.
Pain flashed through his mind once again, accompanied by a series of jumbled images, none of which made sense. Once more, he heard the name whispered in his mind.
“Why do you keep saying that?” the man asked, screaming his question into the wind.
More images rushed through his head, and the man roared in pain.
Doragon.
The word sounded in his mind once again, but the man could not make sense of its meaning. He turned his face back to the heavens while the water streamed down his face and opened his eyes, staring into the storm as it raged about him.
“Who am I?” he roared, his voice echoing so powerfully that it momentarily drowned out the storm.
The voice did not answer this time. No one did.
He was all alone in the storm with no one to help him.
Roy’s techniques
Essence:
Physical: Exploding Fist
Movement: Shockwave
Armorer: Trace
Full-body: Undiscovered
Projected: Void Sphere
Terrain: Constellation
Containment: Overflow
Full-area: Undiscovered
Conqueror: Undiscovered
Qi:
Physical: Exploding Fist-Strike
Movement: Shockwave Airstep
Armorer: Trace Hex
Full-body: Speed Strike
Projected: Void Sphere-Pulse
Terrain: Constellation Cluster
Containment: Overflow-Plus
Full-area: Power Shackle
Conqueror: Undiscovered
Techniques: The Tools of the Martial Artist.
All Martial Artists will train in various techniques over the course of their lives. While there are nine overall technique types, they can be broken down into two categories: Body and Spirit.
Body techniques focus on enhancing the Martial Artist’s physical fighting power, enhancing strength, speed, and defense.
Spirit techniques focus on enhancing Essence-based attacks, focusing on distance, terrain, and containment.
There are four of each, Body and Spirit, with the ninth technique being a combination of them both. All those who manage to combine their techniques into a single one has earned the title of Master and are considered to be true Martial Artists.
In addition, each technique can be improved upon a total of five times, increasing their power and potency, as well as cost and risk to the user. These improvements are called Stages.
Body Techniques: Control of the Physical Self.
Physical: These affect the body directly, strengthening blows or lending them special properties. They are great in hand to hand fighting and are most useful to those following a more martial path. The downside to these is that the user must make physical contact for the techniques to work.
Movement: These affect how the body will move. This technique can increase speed, flexibility, dexterity, and so on. These techniques cannot directly harm anyone, but they can be used to bolster one’s own body and techniques.
Armorer: These affect how the body will stand up to damage. They are one of the most important for any Martial Artist, as they provide the bulk of their defense unless they manage to reach Green. While Yellow-Belts gain a certain degree of immunity to physical harm, it is nothing compared to what one would receive at Orange. Even that is a pale imitation of the immunity gained at Green. The downside to these is that the more punishment that is taken, the more taxing it will be on your Essence reserves.
Full-body: These techniques are the culmination of all three Body techniques combined. These techniques will lend the Martial Artist the aspects of all three of their Body techniques, multiplying their effects many times over. You should not attempt to use
it until all three Body techniques have been thoroughly mastered. One slip-up can end in disaster.
Spirit Techniques: Control of Essence.
Projected: These techniques are used to control Essence, projecting it outward and forming an attack. They are most typically used for range, but some Martial Artists have been known to use them to enhance Physical techniques. The downside to these techniques is that it requires a lot of concentration and leaves the body vulnerable to attacks.
Terrain: These techniques are used to control Essence outside of the body, affecting the terrain itself. The Martial Artist uses their will to control the ambient Essence and bend it to their will. This technique can be used even if the Martial Artist has no Essence stored within their core. The downside is the risk that the Martial Artist will lose control of the Essence, causing it to run wild. Therefore, it is suggested that the core always be at least half full when attempting to use one.
Containment: These techniques are used to control others, or more precisely, to either capture someone or contain powerful attacks. These require an extreme amount of control and concentration and are normally slow to form.
Full-area: These powerful attacks are the culmination of all three Spirit techniques combined. The Martial Artist would reach out to the ambient Essence, then combine it with their own. They would then use their Containment technique to hold it in place and trigger a technique that covered a wide or targeted area. Like the Full-body technique, this should not be attempted until all three Spirit techniques are mastered.
Master-level Technique: Mastery of Body and Spirit.
Conqueror: This technique gives one full control over their body and environment. They combine the uses of all the others and demand a massive amount of both Essence and control. This is the mark of a Master in the Martial Arts.