Princess Lunalah sighed impatiently as the skiff banked to give her a full aerial view of the Omni Gate construction site below. The three arched Paifang looked mostly completed to her, with only the scaffolding erected around its towering form giving any indication to its present state, which according to General Xi Lui was nearing 90%. In truth, she had little interest in such details. Only its outcome and function was important to her, such as being able to reunite with the Iron bull in the core worlds via the prestige of her very own Omni Gate instead of travelling via a lowly skiff. But Ling Wei had insisted that she attend this visit she had arranged from afar, to ensure the construction was completed on time.
As Xi Lui, the former general and present minister of the interior, kept yapping in her ear about the various aspects of the construction works thus far, Lunalah glanced at the letter Ling Wei had written to her to confirm that this was indeed worth her time.
Princess Lunalah, I have arranged for General Xi Lui to organize a surprise inspection by yourself at the Omni Gate. He informed me that while preparations are on schedule, the construction teams would benefit from you expressing your keen interest in their work. You can accomplish this by simply inspecting the construction. No words from you would be required. In fact, I insist it is perhaps best you not speak at all. Simply let the general show you about.
Lunalah sighed again in frustration as she was forced to carry out yet another mundane task of her imperial office. It made her wish for a second that she had not sent Ling Wei to keep an eye on the Iron Bull and his companions. She could have simply sent Ling Wei as her proxy to listen to Xi Lui drone on about the importance of the harmonic Qi stones that they used to attune the Omni Gate to the receiving gate back in the Golden City. The entire process clearly fascinated him however, so she did her best to simply nod and smile as he continued on. Meanwhile, however, she read further down in the letter to the portion she was most interested in Ling Wei’s update.
The Iron Bull sends his greetings although I have not seen him personally in over five months now. His training on Ri Ben has been quite intensive according to the reports of his cohorts who visit him monthly. He has become proficient in over a dozen weapons thus far and has achieved a new level of mastery with his own unique Axe and Glaive technique. He also said that he feels confident he is now but a half-step to a breakthrough to the Lesser Deity Realm. Considering the ruling of the Council subcommittee, to place him against Lady Rei Su Long, who is now a Mid-Tier Lesser Deity Realm Cultivator herself, this bodes well for you in your impending trial.
“Thoughts?” Was this man trying to pry into her business? “Thoughts about what?”
“If you are pleased with the progress thus far, your majesty?”
Lunalah blushed, realizing that she was now standing before the entire assembly of workers, each of them looking towards her expectantly. Her embarrassment of being caught in her daydream caused her face to heat, but she could not show such weakness before her subjects. Ling Wei had recommended she not say anything, but she was merely an aide. She had no idea how to rule. If she was brought here to ensure the work was completed on time, then she had to see to it that it was so.
“Listen clearly all of you!” she shouted with Qi in her voice. “My unjust trial upon the core worlds is less than a month from now. My treasonous and traitorous elder sister has sought to disgrace me before the courts, but my vindication through my proxy, the Iron Bull is assured.” She then lowered her brows in a scowl. “That means, that all that stands between me and vindication is the completion of this gate. If it is not done in time, then I will count you in league with my sister for thwarting the attending of my defense and you will all be rightly executed for treason.”
Xi Lui let out a gasp next to her and looked about to say something in protest, but she quickly shut him down with a deathly stare.
“And that will go for yourself also General Xi Lui. Complete this gate on time, else you too shall face the consequences of your failure.”
* * *
I sat in lotus position, gently cycling my Frenzy as I entered the Spirit Realm. In the darkness, the orbs of my multiple inner worlds hovered before me like miniature planets spinning within the void of space. I reached out and touched the one to summon my private lakeside beach and savored the fresh air and wet sand beneath my toes as it materialized around my being.
From my robes, I withdrew the monster core I had harvested a few days ago and then held it aloft in my palm as I executed the [Core Rebirth] technique, I had acquired from Chief Muraboshi. As the meridian sequences aligned, I channeled the Frenzy from my core and felt it not just deplete but a small essence of my life force extend with it.
It was similar to the effect of the [Sacred Brand of the Frenzied Flame] technique I had used to create Xam within Kelsey’s Axe. Only here, I was bringing to life something within my own Inner World. The Frenzy concentrated within my palm caused the core to glow and then it hatched like an egg, with a small crystal lizard appearing from within.
It squeaked and burbled, wiggling within my grasp.
I smiled. “There you go little guy. Go find your friends.”
As I placed the lizard on the beach, it zipped across the sand, heading for the nearest bush to go hide. I chuckled and then smiled out at the lake where a heron was swooping down to pluck a fish from the surface. It was amazing to see such things thriving here now. Both the heron and the fish, I had managed to bring from Misato Village, using the [Core Rebirth] technique to add them to my Inner World a year ago.
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It had taken a while to find awakened animals that possessed cores, but it had become a sort of hobby of mine that I partook in while I trained. It also allowed me to use the skills of my Handler days, tracking animals out in the wild.
I withdrew from the Inner World which I now referred to as Fia’s Sanctuary and entered my Hellscape domain which I now called the Cauldron. I basked in the Cursed Frenzy that spewed from the oppressive red orb in the sky, cultivating it for a few minutes before protecting myself with [Sacred Soul Shield], cutting off its influence before it could poison my Flame. Unlike Sanctuary, it was still void of creatures, but that was now due to only the inability to get my hands on the raw materials required to spawn them.
I now possessed the skill and knowledge to reinforce the reality of my Inner World by populating it with demons and monsters from their awakened cores. But I would need to wait until I returned to such a place to find them. In the peaceful valley that was Misato Village, the most fearsome creature to be found was the hundred-year-old awakened fish I had used to seed my own world.
In between all my martial and crafting training, I did manage to hone my Berserker techniques and developed some new ones as well. I materialized my blue-hued Phalanx Glaive which I had updated using [Brand of the Frenzied Flame], studying the new techniques I had added.
There was [Mark of the Colossus] along with its counterparts [Mark of the Savage] and [Mark of the Arch Demon] which I had developed in turn. Like the colossus they were augmented forms of my base marks, and the monstrosities they turned me into were things I certainly couldn’t hide with a coat of body spray and a horned helmet.
For I’xol’ukz’ eyes only, I thought with a grin.
I had mastered [Furnace of the Frenzied Flame] now of course, able to bring forth my Hellscape of the Cauldron for over half a day in duration. Although, with the addition of a working Cursed Star, complete with Cursed Frenzy, I doubted any opponent would be able to withstand it for that long before going completely mad.
I developed three more techniques, taking inspiration directly from my time on Ri Ben and my smithing experience specifically. The [Lightning Kiln] technique was a modification of [Wrath of Thousand Slain Souls] where I used [Frenzied Lightning] in a confirmed space to superheat the air hot enough to melt steel.
The second smithing-inspired technique I had dubbed [Muraboshi’s Anvil], which was now the counterpart of [Lightning Split’s the Towering Oak], super hardening the ground to triple the damage to anyone unlock enough to be standing atop it.
Finally, I went old school and enhanced one of my earliest techniques, where I converted my liquid Frenzy to create fire. Now, I used my solid Frenzy to do the same, flash converting it into a torrent of bluish lava called, [Zh’urong’s Wrath]. With that technique my opponent would be burned twice, both from the lava and the name of the cosmic entity itself.
I sensed someone approaching and opened my eyes to see Mal’Kira standing over me.
“You ready?” she said. “It’s about that time.”
I nodded and stood to my feet, overlooking the valley and the village nestled within it. “Hard to believe we’ve spent over five years in this place, right? Feels a lot shorter now, but I’m glad we completed our training ahead of time.”
I’d given myself six years to learn everything there was to learn in the village, but pushed as hard as possible over the last year to double up on my training where I could. The result was us finishing our smithing and weapons training in five years instead of six, giving me a whole month to spare in the real world.
“All thanks to you,” Mal’Kira said with a chuckle. “I don’t think you’ve slept more than four hours a day lately.”
I shrugged. “Must be all the Qi.”
We both laughed, knowing it was partially true. The Qi here did something to us physically. It had been five years, but Mal’Kira didn’t look like she had aged at all. For me the aging process had already slowed to a crawl, but being yet mortal, Mal’Kira was still subject to the rigors of time. But in this place, just like everyone else, Chief Moroboshi’s projected Inner World provided another boon.
Anyone who stayed here would be immune to the rigors of time.
“I’m going to miss this world,” Mal’Kira said wistfully. “I never thought I could live in any place other than the Academy, but…”
As her words trailed off, I looked up at her. “You know, we can always do what we talked about earlier, Mal. You just give the word.”
She sighed. “We’re not having that conversation again. I’m your retainer and I’m duty bound to stay with you. Especially now. We have to get back to the city.”
That was the other reason I had pushed so hard to finish early. A year ago for us, when Blue had visited, she said Xi Xha would have the location figured out in a matter of weeks. That was months for us here, but now we were rolling up on just that time. Still, I knew Mal’Kira was simply avoiding the subject. She was loyal through and through, so I didn’t try to push it.
“Any luck with the breakthrough?” she asked.
I focused on my core and gauged its density. I had cultivated it steadily using the Cursed Frenzy of my Inner World over the last year, and it had grown significantly. If I could give it a measure, it was now five times denser than when I had first entered Misato Village. Taking a breath, I cycled my Frenzy and aligned my meridians in the sequence that would cause my transition but as always, all I did was simply spawn my [Spectral Form].
Mal’Kira patted my shoulder. “I guess not.”
“I’m missing something,” I said.
“A catalyst?” Mal’Kira offered.
“Maybe. The world here is too peaceful for my style of cultivation, I guess.”
“Yes,” Mal’Kira said, gazing out at the valley again. “It is peaceful here. Now come on. I’ve worked hard for this and you’re not going to make me late for the ceremony. Let’s go!”
I laughed as I joined her on the winding forest path back to the village. As we entered the main square, Chief Muraboshi and Master Koh were center stage in front of the entire community. As we passed by our friends and neighbors, they cheered us on with whistles and pats on the back.
We knelt before the Chief and he smiled at us warmly.
“Mal’Kira…Max,” he said our names in turn with a nod. “When you both first came to us, not so long ago, you brought to us a prosperity that will cause this village to last another ten thousand years. For that we are grateful. I knew not what to make of you then, but now, after witnessing your dedication, you have both proven that you are well deserving of what you are about to receive. Master Koh?”
Master Koh then stood and moved behind us, before tying a slim piece of striped rope about each of our foreheads. When he was done, Chief Muraboshi then spoke in a loud voice.
“I declare these two initiates now formal apprentices within the Muraboshi Clan,” he said raising his hand like a benediction. “You have reached a level of mastery that would be envied in the outside world, and have earned the right to now remain in the village to pursue your craft for as many centuries as you desire. Brothers and sisters, let us greet Max and Mal’Kira no longer as guests, but as true members of the clan.”
The community erupted into applause as Mal’Kira and I both paid respects to the chief and everyone else with low bows, dropping our foreheads to the ground. A huge swelling of pride and accomplishment welled up within me. This was a day I had worked towards for what seemed at first to take forever, but now, having lived through it, I realized, just as Chief Muroboshi had said, I had all but scratched the surface of what there was to learn here.
I was now able to forge every common weapon of battle and wield the same with precision. When I first started, I didn’t think it would be much to learn, but now, through the eyes of these masters, I realized I was but a novice still.
“Well done,” Koh said. “You’ve finally earned the right to use this.” From his robes he produced a whetstone that sparkled and glowed with a purplish hue. “Come, it’s time to finally sharpen those weapons of yours.”
Although it was now a formality of sorts that we had agreed to save for my graduation day, I took great care and pride in finally utilizing my newly honed skills to sharpen the bread and butter of my true trade, my Axe and Glaive.
Mal’Kira cheered me on as I spent close to an hour on each weapon, etching the now Cursed Star hardened blue steel into an edge that you could shave with. We spent the rest of the day celebrating with the village and enjoying a little wine.
When night came, we packed up what little personal artifacts we had collected over the years and began the long round of heartfelt goodbyes to everyone in the village. I thanked the chief and elders again and promised to return someday, if only to thank them once more for all the knowledge they had bestowed upon me.
“Remember us when that day finally comes,” Chief Muraboshi said, and I recalled our brief conversation in the moonlight over a year ago now. “No matter what happens, spare this village from the wrath of the stars.”
I bowed to him, still not knowing if this coming cataclysm was true or not. “You have my word, Chief. Until we meet again.”
* * *
I gave a final kowtow to Master Koh after he led us to the edge of the village and our doorway back to the outside world.
“Thank you for everything, Master Koh,” I said. “For your patience and belief in me, even from the very beginning.”
He chuckled. “No, thank you, my friend. You have a hidden power and destiny that is rare. Make sure you use it wisely.”
“I’ll be back to visit,” Mal’Kira said and crushed Koh in an embrace that made him wheeze and laugh.
“It’ll be a few centuries for me, I imagine,” Koh said. “But I look forward to when you’ll both return.”
With a final wave we exited through the veil and appeared in the twilight dusk and heat of the barren surface of Ri Ben. In that instant, it was like I had awoken from a dream, slipping from the rejuvenating and timeless sanctuary of Misato Village and joining the ‘real’ world again.
My internal chronology seemed to reset as I no longer viewed the time ahead of me in months and years, but mere weeks and days now. All the preparation and training had led to this. I was finally on the other side now and it was time to resume my quest.
“Last chance,” I said to Mal’Kira, jerking my head towards the village. “You can still go back.”
She blew a raspberry. “And leave you to your own devices? Not a chance.”
I smiled. Loyal to the core.
“Let’s get going then,” I said. “I’m eager to see what Xi Xha and Mu Lin have found.”
My path was aligning. I had a month to go now before the trial and time to hopefully save my son before that. I hadn’t achieved the full breakthrough I was looking for to face I’xol’ukz, but maybe facing him was just the catalyst I needed to tip me over the edge.
Lesser Deity Realm, here I come, I thought.
As we set off, heading towards the Paifang, a new sense of destiny and anticipation filled me. It was time to learn new secrets and put my newly gained martial training and cultivation skills to the test. After five long years, it was finally time to reunite with my friends and return to the Golden City of Yee Guo.