Hatchling

by Lupine King

  “Without a doubt,”, the magistrate stated resolutely. “Our clan’s legacies have no such power or ability so it is definitely hers. Sadly, with both her and my son missing, there is no way to truly confirm this until it manifests itself. Right now, we have to focus on the fact that Valerian is evidently innately gifted at cultivation.”

  The two men nodded, clearly understanding the wisdom in doing what was possible, and focusing only on what was near. They could not help but wonder how powerful such a legacy would be. However, these thoughts were dispelled by the sudden glare their master shot at them.

  “It goes without saying that no one, absolutely no one, not even the clan, is to know about my suspicions concerning Valerian’s current state,” he made clear.

  The two men quickly nodded.

  “Good!” the old man acknowledged.

  "He's going to need to be trained," Richard pointed out.

  "I know...”, the magistrate said. “Nonetheless, we must keep this matter between us”. Then realisation dawned upon him and a smile split his wrinkled face. “Your brother returned from the Institute last week, correct? Speak to him. Inform him of the situation and secure his help."

  "Yes, sir," the guard captain replied.

  “Avery, you, begin making preparations; essence crystals, equipment, whatever you think is necessary. I will inform my wife of what is happening, and make some arrangements of my own,” the magistrate added, watching as the minder nodded after receiving the order.

  With that, he turned around and began to walk out of the courtyard. Richard and Avery looked at each other, fully aware that their jobs, Avery’s especially, were about to get a lot harder. It would be worth it though with Valerian’s obvious intelligence, paternal lineage, and now this maternal clan legacy; he was sure to become an outstanding cultivator in the future.

  “Also,” came the voice of the magistrate as his gaze landed on Avery. “You need to work on your flattery, Avery. It is bland, and completely blatant. Your delivery is quite poor and forced as well.” With that said, he disappeared into the manor.

  TWO

  Outstanding Talent?

  “GOOD MORNING UNCLE, Auntie!”

  Valan immediately got up to receive him. “Jonas! Welcome! It’s been a year.”

  “I’m sorry Uncle. I know I should visit more. I figured I would have the time to come around and spend time with the family after passing the exam but the clan has just been keeping me so busy lately.” Jonas immediately tried to explain.

  The magistrate laughed off his attempt and replied instead with. “I know. Congratulations on passing the exam. To successfully advance to second circle array master at your age is most impressive. You have made us very proud.”

  Jonas gave a bashful smile. “Well hopefully now that I have passed the examination I can take things slow for a while.”

  “Yes, you should!” the magistrate’s wife affirmed.

  As it so happens, Richard and Jonas were part of the family. Their father was the magistrate’s cousin. The two were close growing up thus, when he and his wife died, Valan had not hesitated to adopt his orphaned children. The couple raised them alongside their own son. Richard became a respected warrior and Jonas had even managed to become an array master.

  The two had never forgotten the love and care shown them. That was why Richard remained at the manor as a guard captain when with his cultivation tier he could easily find better paying work anywhere. The guard captain of a minor magistrate might have some influence but it paled compared to what a tellurian at the peak of the second tier could really achieve. Jonas on the other hand was an array master. His talent was rarer and not only required more work but he could not be around as much.

  He was now an important figure in the city and the clan. A lot was required of him yet, the moment he heard the old couple needed his help, he dropped everything and ran over. It helped that there was a temporary lull in his duties, but this act alone showed how much he cared for and respected them. Plus, the fact that it concerned Valerian, the son of his surrogate brother, meant he could not refuse or postpone.

  He was eager to perform the ceremony. He wanted to see what results the son of the greatest genius of his generation would have. Funnily, no one could find the boy. It took a while before a servant checked the study and then brought him over.

  Valerian Steelborn was no ordinary child. As a matter of fact, he would feel insulted were he to be considered one. He had met the ‘ordinary’ ones at Fangs’ Grammar school and the adjectives he would use when describing them would not be flattering in the least. Messy, immature, petty, prone to running around and fidgeting; unable to understand the teacher’s lessons even after several repetitions, hated simple correction, quickly resorted to name calling...

  Well, he was not one of them. Let us leave it at that. He knew it, they knew it. He was just better. He was smart, from a good home, and much more physically fit than most of them. He understood everything on his first try, was far ahead of his years in terms of knowledge, and looked like the perfect prince of comportment and neatness, that and he stroked his chin when lost in thought. Even at the age of eight, he could not be described as anything less than handsome.

  This, together with his supposedly ‘arrogant face’, ‘know it all’ attitude, and ‘lazy’, nonchalant visage, made more than a few of his peers envious. Many of whom would call themselves his rivals and enemies. That was one of the reasons he wanted to quit Grammar School. There was nothing there for him to learn. The people there were annoying. He was tired of Mrs Fang trying to get him to “display his talents more” and his colleagues staring daggers and whispering to each other at his back; not to mention the ones that kept trying to fight him.

  Nevertheless, his thoughts should not be mistaken for whining. Why? Valerian did not whine. He would say he was largely apathetic. Strong emotions were foreign to him. That was the problem. He had learned to care for a few things; his grandparents for one, and thanks to them, books and learning. However, when confronted with other things, he found it hard to get worked up over them.

  What did it matter that most of his classmates did not like him? Why should he bother to do better when barely trying was more than enough? Why fight them when he could ignore them till they went away? What did that have to do with him? Why should he be concerned about so, so and so?

  To be honest, the whole thing was a serious waste of time, and he was glad that it was finally over. Perhaps, now his own pace of learning would not be restrained simply because some daft kid in the back could not keep up. Thus, when he woke up early that morning, Valerian was filled with much more zest than usual. It caused him to rush to the study right after breakfast and wait for his lessons.

  Sadly, he was going to wait a long time for this as his grandparents were busy waiting for a particular array master to arrive. They needed him in order to assess Valerian’s potential for cultivation and to determine the path he should take. This preliminary check was necessary for everyone and was normally done en mass by children and their families at temples, sects and schools.

  The whole thing was very important, which was why they were having a private test performed by a member of the family. This person was the younger brother of Richard, their guard captain. Ordinarily, you would think that someone a magistrate issued a summons for would rush over immediately, but this was not the case. The person coming was an array master. It was a noble profession, an elite position that only gifted cultivators could claim.

  It was not uncommon for some array masters to feel disdain towards people with ‘mortal professions’, particularly the low levelled ones, even if those people were their uncles. Luckily, Jonas, Richard’s brother was not the type. He arrived promptly and paid his respects to the master and mistress of the manor.

  VALERIAN WALKED INTO the hall a bit annoyed. It turned out that he was not going to be studying after all. His grandfather had actually forgotten about him, simply because some guest from the main
clan was visiting. Now, he was being dragged over to meet him. His attitude changed a little though when he saw who he was to meet.

  Standing before his grandparents, chatting and laughing bashfully, was a man decked in resplendent red robes and a staff in his hands. The cloth shrouded his body in an intentionally mysterious air and the staff was capped with a large red crystal. ‘Obviously a cultivator,’ Valerian noted mentally. He proceeded with greater care making sure to take him in fully. This allowed him to notice the style of the robes and the rather obvious badge placed over the right breast of his figure.

  The material of the badge itself was relatively nondescript. It was dark and hard. The lines carved on it however, possessed a dull whitish-blue glow. They came together to form two circles filled with strange symbols, one within another.Valerian’s breath caught. He had a dim idea of what that meant. The guest was an array master! His eyes shot up to better scan the man’s face, and beneath the rather thick beard, he made out a somewhat familiar face.

  Array master, Jonas Steelborn. The man counted among the most distinguished of all his clan members – the ones he had met at least. To be an array master was something many dreamed of. Even the children at school would sit and talk about them when they got the chance. Many hoped to become one when they grew up. Regrettably, it was easier said than done and even they knew it.

  Array master, alchemist, artificer, healer - these were just some of the top cultivating professions. They required not only smarts, resources and long study, but most importantly, cultivating talent. That last one alone disqualified eighty percent of all who hoped to try. Simply becoming a cultivator was beyond the hopes of most, let alone becoming an array master. Cultivators were the elite, and those of these professions were the elite of the elite.

  It was remarkable that Valerian recognised him in the first place. He had only ever met Jonas twice before this. The last time was when he was four. Seeing Jonas also allowed Valerian to piece together some of the clues he had noticed but not focused on. He started to suspect the reason why his grandfather was so happy the day before and why he had been allowed to quit school. Now, hope had been stirred in his heart. Was he about to have his prospects as a cultivator tested?

  ‘Finally!’ he yelled in his thoughts. In fact, he had to restrain himself from doing something totally uncharacteristic, like breaking into song or dancing a jig. He had waited for so long.

  This was much better than simply being allowed to quit Grammar School. Why? Because he was going to get the chance to cultivate, and much earlier than expected too. He had brought the topic up before only to be shot down. His grandfather had originally said that he would begin when he was ten. That his time was better spent improving his knowledge and tempering his mind. Valerian disagreed of course, but he was not the one in charge of these decisions.

  In truth, Valerian knew a lot more about cultivation than his family thought. Even if the topic was not discussed at home, and the books in the study sealed away, it was still possible for him to learn a thing or two. The reason for this was simple. Grammar School! Yes, it was actually good for something.

  He might have little knowledge on the subject but that did not mean that others did as well. Just like his grandparents wanted, Fang’s Grammar School exposed him to people outside the manor. He may not have interacted much with his peers, but he did observe them. Many of them had parents, siblings, and people close to them who were cultivators or at least cultivation aficionados. This led to discussions on cultivators and cultivation itself.

  Topics like which attribute was the best? Who was the coolest or most powerful cultivator in DaleGuard or the world? Who would win in a fight between the Viscount and the champion gladiator? Which technique was more awesome? Which profession was the greatest? These were discussed often and worn to the ground. Sure, they were discussions of children but they were still useful for someone like Valerian who knew so little. Thanks to them he now knew more.

  Like the fact that cultivation required a lot of time and dedication, meaning that most either studied at home, under masters or in special schools. Fangs’ was none of these so those who started cultivation nearly always left. Or the fact that, testing cultivation prospects required the use of special arrays. And who had come to his house right after he had been pulled from school – an array master. It also explained why his grandfather, a workaholic through and through, had taken the day off.

  Valerian clenched his fists, hoping to all the gods that his deductions were right. But before he could get off a short prayer, his presence was acknowledged and he was forced to spend the next few minutes exchanging platitudes. He made his way over to stand behind his grandmother, and waited for the adults to speak. He was not disappointed.

  “Now Valerian, I know I said you weren’t going to cultivate until you were ten, but due to certain reasons, I have relented and will allow you to do so,” his grandfather began.

  “Thank you grandfather!” he exclaimed. His excitement, impossible to suppress.

  “Yes, yes.” his grandfather said. His grandmother merely beamed at him and as for Uncle Jonas? He watched everything with a small quirk to his lips.

  “Your uncle Jonas is here to run some tests. The results will determine if you can cultivate, and your cultivation path. They will also be sent to the clan if you pass, to register you as one of the cultivators of the younger generation. That way you will be acknowledged by the clan and qualify to receive some resources and manuals.”

  “I understand grandfather. Thank you!” Valerian said trying to appear calm, but the widening smile on his face betrayed him.

  “Don’t thank me, you haven’t passed the assessment yet.” the old man pointed out. Of course he did not add that there was absolutely no chance of him failing. Not when he had already started cultivating. Rather, he turned to his nephew and gave him the go ahead.

  Jonas stepped forward, his staff overhead, gesturing for everyone to make space. At the end of the reshuffling, Valerian was left in a circle with Jonas stretching his hand towards him, staff held at his side.

  Out of the corner of his eyes, Valerian saw two of the guards perk up and focus on him as well as Uncle Richard leaning against a wall, Avery at his side. When they turned up, he did not know. Having eye on him somehow made the scene more vivid to Valerian. He really was going to have his prospects tested. In a few minutes, he would be a cultivator!

  THREE

  Prospects

  JONAS SCRUTINISED THE boy before him and was forced to admit that his comportment was extraordinary: Perfectly dressed, well-mannered with a lofty bearing and purposeful grace. He really was a little prince. Despite this, he was supposedly completely unspoiled. Honestly, Jonas doubted that but the high praise his brother, Richard, accorded the boy gave him pause. The knight claimed that besides a penchant to be overly self-assured, Valerian always conducted himself well.

  This made the array master curious. He would be the first to admit that he knew little about this nephew of his. Shameful as it was, he truly was that busy. He had only been back a couple of years and these few years had been spent—‘were still being spent’, he noted mentally—proving himself. This was the perfect chance to get to know the boy for himself instead of relying on second and sometimes, thirdhand information he got. Thankfully, he was perfectly capable of doing that whilst focusing on the array he was setting up.

  He had an audience though; one which included his big brother, his surrogate parents as well as several servants and guards. So he made it a bit showy. The crystal at the tip of his staff lit up with a bright red glow. As it did so, he stretched his right hand out a bit, upturned his palm and made a motion that looked as if he was grasping the air. In response, a circle of dull red light appeared around Valerian who to his credit, kept his surprise hidden, only glancing towards it once.

  "The array I will be using is common and one I have used many times. There is no danger of it harming you, so while it might look a bit bright, there is n
othing to worry about," Jonas said.

  The fingers of his still outstretched right hand twitched. In response, a second circle appeared around the first. There were a few gasps in the hall whilst looks of pride appeared on the faces of the magistrate and his wife. Many would not know the significance of that, but to those who knew, it was the sign of a second tier array master.

  Most prospective tests employed a series of arrays. These were all one circle arrays but what Jonas was doing now was clearly a two circle array. That alone cut the number of arrays needed by half as each circle would handle a different part of the test, effectively doing two things at once. This was what separated the second tier of array mastery from the first. The former could not only employ more powerful, more complex arrays, but also do more in the same amount of time.

  Jonas smiled to himself. This was the first time in a long while that he had showcased his skills before the couple. He wanted to let them see how far he had gotten. Becoming a second tier array master had been his focus for a long time, and he had studied like a man possessed. He did so much research and practice that he had nearly grown tired of it all. In the end, he was vastly over qualified for the position, passing the test quickly as the most outstanding examinee in his batch.

  Now looking at the pride on the faces of the people who raised him, he could confidently say that all that work was worth it. Clearing his mind, he focused on the circles in front of him and on the boy at their centre. His fingers twitched again, and motes of red light appeared around Valerian.

  There were at least fifty of them. Each of these motes of light shaped themselves into strange, indistinct markings that slowly sank until they were level with the circles of light. There, they arranged themselves into larger shapes and configurations. Soon both inner and outer circles had these markings embossed on them as if they were carved into the air itself.