by Jeff Gunzel
Seconds felt like minutes as she stood there, frozen with fear. Eventually his rhythmic snoring returned, bringing a sigh of relief. With her confidence returning, she moved up close to the bed and gently placed her free hand on his chest. It rose and fell with the steady regular breathing of deep sleep. She carefully moved her hand around the left side of his chest until she found her beating target. You coward. You bastard, I’ll… Morita lined up the blade between her spread fingers, lightly tilting it back and forth while griping the handle tightly.
Before she could even blink, a strong hand smacked the feeble weapon from her hand, sending it harmlessly across the room. She stood there in shock, paralyzed with fear as the other hand gripped her throat. In one clean motion, Zhou rolled from the bed, still clasping his prey, then lifted her off the ground and ran her across the room. All the air blasted from her lungs as she thudded against the wall, then slid upward, feet dangling several inches off the floor. With a wicked smile, he pulled his helpless victim toward him, then slammed her into the wall again...then again...and again.
Clinging to consciousness by a thread, she felt her burning, broken body fall limply over a table. Morita felt her dress tear all the way up her backside. “So once just wasn’t enough for you, eh? You just had to tempt fate one last time,” growled an enraged Zhou. “I was being gentle before, but I fear you won’t be so lucky this time.” She opened her mouth to scream, but didn’t have enough air as blood-filled vomit splattered the wall instead.
Morita choked off her scream, resulting only in a tiny squeak. Clasping a hand over her mouth, she looked down at the sleeping brute. His heart still throbbed beneath the cold steel pressed against his massive chest. She pulled it away as tears streamed down her face, then slowly backed off. The golden-eyed redhead wanted nothing more than to kill this sick man, but what if something went wrong? What if she missed her target, and ended up only enraging the beast? What if…
With a hand still clamped tightly over her mouth, she retreated from the room, gently closing the door behind her. Nearly running, she didn’t release the dagger from her hand until she was clear down the hall. She threw her back against the silvery, mirrored wall, then slowly slid down until she was seated on the floor. She began sobbing. I swear I’ll get my revenge, you monster, you hear me? She looked up, gazing at her reflection with bloodshot eyes. “I swear it.”
* * *
The four adventurers finished their meal of rice, chicken, and tea in silence. Athel was the first to pull away from the table and slink back over to her private corner with a bedroll thrown on the floor. Eating, then going right back to her corner had been her routine as of late. Jacob watched as she flopped down, then rolled away to face the wall. He sighed, then pushed away from the table.
They were all becoming withdrawn and distant toward one another, but Athel had gotten to the point where she wouldn’t talk to anyone. Seeing that another night would pass without any meaningless small talk, they each moved toward their beds. “Good night, guys,” said Eric as he put out the last oil lamp. There was no reply, and he really wasn’t expecting any. He lay down next to Jade and put his arm around her.
She grasped it tight, then pulled him in closer. “Good night, Eric,” she said.
Several hours passed before Athel’s eyes blinked open. She peered at her companions through the darkness, which proved to be easy enough, given her perfect night vision. She watched for some time, making sure her companions were sound asleep. Convinced at last, she crawled out from under the bedroll and crept across the room. One by one she began to retrieve the already packed leather bags hidden in different spots. After a quick count, she snuck over to the door. Looking back toward Jacob, she silently mouthed the words, “Please forgive me. I’ll always love you.” Athel placed a handwritten note on the floor before quietly sneaking out.
Jacob waited another minute before opening his eyes. Even while watching her sneak through the room, he had been careful to keep his eyes mostly closed, and his breathing steady so she wouldn’t suspect anything. If you think I’m going to just let you walk out of my life... He threw back his sheet and quickly pulled a shirt and pants over his smallclothes. Ignoring the note on the floor, he grabbed his staff and rushed out into the street.
When he spotted her off in the distance, his first instinct was to chase her down and drag her back kicking and screaming if necessary, but he knew that would never do. When that stubborn woman puts her mind to something... No, he would have to use a little more tact than that. Think, man. Use your brain for once in your life. He followed on, but still kept a great distance between them. He stopped and licked his finger, then held it up to the air. Good, the wind is blowing toward me. I need to stay this way, otherwise she will smell me. It was going to take some careful maneuvering to track this hunter.
Athel stopped once she thought she was far enough away. She dropped the bags, then tied them together using the leather cords to form a chain. Once that was done, she threw them over one shoulder and kept going.
She began to weep, thinking about how much she would miss her friends, how much she would miss Jacob. Athel had never suspected she would fall in love one day. Who would ever want a nappy-haired brute like me, anyway? She stopped in her tracks. Jacob would, that’s who. Now bawling, she started to pick up the pace. It was still dark, and luckily the streets were mostly empty. Athel just wanted to get out of the village as soon as possible. I’m sorry, guys, but this is for the best. I just need to get away from—
She whirled about, looking back down the street. Is someone there? Am I being followed? Athel saw nothing save for a few early goers wandering about. She couldn’t explain why, but she found that disappointing somehow. Just my imagination. Besides, this is exactly how it has to be. I need to get far away from them. She pressed on even faster than before, with no idea where she was going or what she would do once she got there.
Jacob cautiously peeked out from the side alleyway. That was close. I’ll have to be more careful. There was just enough sunlight now to keep her in view. Although he hated taking the risk of her getting too far away, there was really no other choice. He had to follow at a distance; her senses were far too keen for him to get any closer than this, and even then it was risky. I know you’re trying to leave us, to leave me. And I know you think you have your reasons, but that’s just not good enough. Whatever it is, we can fix it. I’m not letting you go that easily.
* * *
Jade stretched hard while trying not to wake Eric. Even with the sun out, the room remained plenty dark, but her inner clock still assured her it was morning. She gently lifted his thick arm and rolled away before tiptoeing over to the bowl of fruit. After grabbing two apples to munch on the way, she slipped out the door. Excited about her first real lesson, she never even noticed that Athel and Jacob were already gone at this early hour.
Jade shaded her eyes as the bright morning sun peeked over the rooftops. Walking directly toward it was a little uncomfortable, but the promise of another warm day more than made up for it. She munched on the apples while hurrying along through the twists and turns. Jade was surprised at how well she remembered the way, and was too excited to notice the stares and whispers as she passed by.
Once she approached the forest’s edge, Jade became much more cautious, remembering what Nima had said about getting pricked. She stepped through carefully, looking hard to see where yesterday’s footprints were. Feeling a little uneasy, she found herself wishing Nima were here leading the way, but before long she stepped out into the cleared area.
Nima was already waiting for her, sitting on her favorite pile of woodchips with a small cloth bag at her side. “Good morning, dear,” said Nima from her usual seated pose, eyes closed and palms facing up. “I trust you slept well. Are you ready to get started?”
Jade hopped on one foot while trying to step over the last thorny bush. “Good morning, Nima. Looks like I got here just in time. Say, what’s in the bag?”
“My goodness, you almost went five whole seconds without asking a question. A personal best, by my count.” Jade forced out a laugh, more to mask her reddening face than anything else. “Oh don’t mind my teasing dear, I love your enthusiasm. Now then, to answer your question.” Nima stood tall and stretched, clearly in no hurry, before reaching down and rummaging through the bag. She pulled out a clear crystal strung on a thin golden chain.
“Oh, you brought one of those crystals,” Jade said, rising up on her toes to get a better look.
“First of all, let’s stop calling them crystals and use their proper name,” said Nima. “We call these ‘dychitas.’”
“Dy-chi-tas,” Jade sounded out.
“Good, dear. Now hold still while I—” Nima reached out and strung the clear jewel across Jade’s forehead. “Now then, let me explain how they work. As we discussed, you must first learn to harness your chi. Although this can be achieved without using a dychita, they make the task much easier.”
“So I assume they are magical?” said Jade.
“Oddly, no, but I can see why you would think that,” said Nima as she finished clasping it on. “There you go, dear. Ah, it looks wonderful on you. You now have the power to control men with your beauty.”
“Huh...what?” stammered Jade as she fumbled around to remove it.
Nima quickly grabbed her wrists, smiling at the flustered girl. “That was a joke, dear.” Jade felt her face heat up once more. “I’m sorry about that. I guess my humor is a little different from yours. Even by my own people’s standards, I’m really not all that funny.”
“No, it was funny, really,” said Jade, laughing nervously at how gullible she must seem right now.
“Well then, as I was saying,” said Nima before clearing her throat. “They really have no magical properties on their own. In fact, in a way they are anti-magic, meaning they control it, rather than provide it. When worn as such, they help to center your chi.”
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
“As I said before, they don’t have any magic on their own—no more than any average chair or tea cup, but when you concentrate on your chi, it flows through them naturally, creating a perfect balance. I guess you could say they filter energy into a steady, manageable flow.” Nima puckered her lips to the side while scratching her head. “Let me explain it in a different way. Imagine having a bucket filled with water, and you need to spread the water around somehow.”
“So the water in the bucket is my chi, and I need to get that energy from one place to another?” said Jade.
“Now you’re getting it, dear,” Nima said with a wink. “Now, without any practical way to spread it around, you could just tip the bucket as the water splashes back and forth. The water can still be guided to some degree, but some areas will get wetter than others. The awkward motion is not smooth, and in the end, the water will still get tossed around.”
“And with the dychitas?” said Jade, wide-eyed and eager to understand.
“Now imagine that same bucket full of water, only this time you decide to poke a hole in the bottom. You can now move the bucket around as a steady stream of water filters out. Even if you shake the bucket, the steady stream doesn’t change much. This way, you have much more control than you otherwise would.”
Jade touched the dychita on her forehead. It didn’t feel cool like she thought it would, but warm, like someone had been holding it in their hand for a while. “I understand. That’s a good way of explaining it. Now, do the different colors mean anything?”
“I was just getting to that, dear. I already told you that they contain no measurable magic, but that doesn’t mean their properties are all the same. The clear one, for example, allows the least amount of exchange between your chi and the power of nature. The power flow between them is so small, the chances of a student hurting themselves or someone else becomes quite minimal.” She smirked as her dark eyes twinkled. “Remember my water bucket analogy?” Jade nodded. “It still applies, it’s just that now the hole is very, very small.”
The two of them laughed. When Jade was finally able to catch her breath, she said, “OK, I think I get it. This dychita is the most restrictive one, which is why I’m wearing it. This should minimize the chance we will both burst into flames.” She snorted at her own joke. “So now what?”
“Alright, Jade, we’re going to take this nice and slow. Here, give me your hands like we did before.” The two held hands, while facing each other cross-legged on the ground. “Now close your eyes and concentrate on my voice. Once we start, there is no turning back.” Jade’s hands grew moist, nervous because of her first real lesson. “You are in a dark room. There is no one here except you, and the sound of my voice. Jade, are you still with me? Can you see it?”
Jade could feel her consciousness falling inward. It felt similar to drifting off to sleep, yet still being aware during those last moments. When she opened her eyes, she could see herself walking through blackness. Although unable to see anything in front of her, she could still see her own body just fine. Jade looked down at her white, flowing gown. Long spidery strips of white cloth hung from her arms, flapping about as if blowing in a stiff breeze, yet she felt no air moving. “I’m here, Nima. Yes. Yes, I can see it.”
Good, dear, now I need you to search for something. Jade could still hear Nima, but her voice sounded distant and faint as it echoed through the blackness. Don’t be afraid, the darkness is only a symbol of your open mind. Now go on, dear. Jade placed one foot in front of the other, walking cautiously as if she might fall through the floor at any moment. Her thin, flowing gown swished back and forth while her black hair flowed straight upward, snaking about as if air were blowing straight up from the floor.
Straining her eyes, Jade thought she saw something off in the darkness, a sort of shimmering blue light. Do you see it, dear? Good, go on then. She placed one foot out in front, pressing down in a few spots just to ensure she wouldn’t fall into the blackness. After a time, Jade finally gained enough confidence to walk along at a normal pace.
As she got closer, the source of light began to take shape. The thick, glowing line dancing about soon became a sparkling waterfall. The shimmering blue liquid seemed to flow out of thin air, then crash down against the darkness, crackling out into tiny white crystals before disappearing completely.
What you see before you is your life force. See how yours rages on like a waterfall? All that energy regenerating itself over and over with no place to go… I’ve never seen anything like it before. Jade reached out, gently placing her hand into the stream. What looked like water at first, sprayed out into tiny crystals, particles of energy that bounced off her hand. Although the stream was moving fast, the flow felt soft and gentle against her skin.
Now, dear, you must submerge yourself within your chi. Only then can you begin to master its power. She pulled her hand from the stream and watched as thousands of white diamonds fell between her fingers, then clacked along the floor. She took a deep breath, lowered her head, and stepped into the stream.
Its icy touch washed over her in a wave of cool energy. She looked up, smoothing her hair back as the frosty stream covered her body. She tingled all over as the crystals seemed to cling to her, then melt down instead of just bouncing off. Now just stay calm, dear. You need to accept their energy, become one with your chi.
“I’m fine,” said Jade. “Why would I need to stay ca—” she looked at her arms and watched as the clinging crystals began to sprout thin legs. Like little spiders, they crawled toward her face. “Wha-what’s happening?” she shrieked.
You must stay calm and accept the bond. There will only be one opportunity, and when it is gone, it is gone forever. Jade watched on in horror as crystallized insects crawled up her body and buzzed along her neck. She instinctually moved to smack them off, but stopped at the last second.
“I must accept this now, or I’ll never get another chance. I will do whatever is necessary to protect Eric.” She reache
d her hands upward and opened her mouth. In an instant, the spidery diamonds flooded down her throat and buried themselves in her ears while skittering around her eyes. Ice-cold pain shot through every inch of her body. The agony was so intense, she feared losing her mind. Then, slowly but surely, the icy torment began to ease. Frigid cold was soon replaced by a warm, pleasant sensation, a feeling of peace. Just as she stepped out of the stream, a blinding flash forced her to cover her eyes.
“Are you alright, dear? Wake up. Wake up,” came the familiar voice as Jade’s shoulders rocked back and forth. “You did it. It’s over.”
Jade’s eyes slowly fluttered open. There was Nima, shaking her lightly. “I–I did it?”
“Yes, dear, you did,” said Nima as a look of relief washed over her. “I have to admit, you had me worried there.”
Jade wiped beads of sweat from her forehead as she shakily got back to her feet. “That was incredible, Nima. You should have seen it. It seemed so real.”
Nima rose to her feet, brushing clinging woodchips from her clothes. “I was there, dear. I saw the whole thing. I’ve guided many down this path before. Some have no problem forming the link with their life force, but others are not so lucky.” A look of dread darkened Jade’s face as she suddenly wondered what she had been toying with. “No, no, dear,” said Nima quickly, recognizing her friend’s look. “No physical harm has ever come to anyone. Even if that were a possibility, I would pull them out long before that. The only side effect of failure is that they are unable to try again. The link is permanently broken, and their potential, no matter how substantial, is wasted forever. They will never be able wield the forces of nature.”
Jade swallowed hard before nodding her understanding. Funny, a few days ago I didn’t even think I wanted this. Now I have this feeling of relief, knowing that I can continue on with my training. “So now what? Where do we go from here?”
