by Aaron Oster
She rubbed at her temples, watching as the two of them engaged, Chui’s glowing green form rocketing around the spire while bits of stone and flashes of brown tried to hem her in. Blasts of wind and lightning fired from Chui, even as she smashed through the opposing barriers.
Brown energy turned a ruddy orange as blasts of lava began flying, showing that Chui wasn’t the only one who had begun branching off from their Base Path. Not that that was a surprise. Any Grandmaster would be expected to be able to do as much.
Hato staggered back, throwing her arms up in a cross block and threw up the fourth stage of her Qi Armorer technique. Even that wasn’t enough, as the backwash of power slammed into the spire, beginning to shatter the stone. The ground under her was shaking as spires began to crumble, and some of the weaker Artists found themselves unable to retain their feet.
Hato leaped to another nearby spire, reinforcing it with her Qi as she landed. It wasn’t perfect, as she was a Fire user, but her Essence melded well with that of Earth when she used her branching path. The ability to convert stone to magma or lava wasn’t exclusive to the Earth Artists. Those on the Path of Fire had the ability to focus in that area as well. And though she wasn’t nearly as skilled as the enemy Grandmaster, she had enough to stop a single spire from crumbling.
Lightning crackled across the intervening space as Chui unleashed a barrage of attacks. The two Grandmasters were now close enough to exchange blows, and the rapid pace of their fighting had turned the once spire into a crater. Another enemy Grandmaster prepared a Conqueror technique, even as they fought, and Hikki, another of their Grandmasters, rushed to intercept.
Hato watched grimly as the battle raged on. Hundreds had already fallen, and she knew thousands more might die before this war came to an end. She had been forbidden from fighting. In fact, the only way her brother had allowed her out here was on the condition that she not involve herself at all.
It burned at her from within to have to stand by while her fellow clan mates were killed, but there was little she could do about it. She had made a promise to her brother and a Martial Artist was only as good as their word of honor. If she broke her promise, it would irreparably damage her honor, not only in the eyes of her brother but in the eyes of the entire clan.
She watched as yet another Conqueror technique was prepared, this one by a Master rather than a Grandmaster. But that was still no joke. A Master’s technique could wipe hundreds of their Artists out within a handful of minutes. Luckily, they weren’t short of those, and the telltale sign of a Tonde Master shone in her Spirit Sense as he rushed to intercept.
Hours later, the battle raged on, and Hato remained perched atop the spire. Things weren’t looking good for either side. Chui had managed to defeat their Grandmaster, but Hikki had lost his life in the battle with another one. Luckily, he’d managed to injure her badly enough to take her out of the battle.
They were now at the point where all the big techniques had been used up, and it was simply a battle of attrition. Both sides were taking heavy losses. Despite the Beast clan having superior numbers, the Tonde had more powerful Martial Artists and in Buryoku, power trumped numbers.
Even so, a group of ten high Dan Orange-Belts working together would easily take down a Green-Belt at the lower Dans. And that was happening all over the battlefield. The Beast clan were making up for their weakness by working together and overwhelming the enemy. That wasn’t to say that they weren’t taking heavy losses, either. For each such successful kill, they were losing at least three or four Orange-Belts in the process.
Hato had seen death in her time, Plenty, in fact. But this was truly starting to make her feel ill. What was the point of all of this? Who could possibly benefit from so much loss of life? Even if there was a victor, the price would be so high that it would take decades, if not centuries, to rebuild.
Her eyes turned westward, to where she knew her brother would be waiting, back at their clan’s main city. He’d assured her that if it came to it, he had a plan that would put an immediate end to the fighting.
“Whatever you have planned, big brother, I hope you do it soon. Because I don’t think any of us can keep going for much longer.”
***
From his seat, perched at the highest point in Besu Tonde, Kaeru watched the battle unfold. Though he knew he could end it at any moment, it was something he’d rather avoid for as long as possible. As he’d told Hato, he did have a plan to stop the fighting, should it become obvious that neither side could win. But it was a risk that he was not willing to take just yet, not if they could still turn the tide of battle.
The battle seemed to be winding down for the day, the two separate armies retreating to tend to their wounded. To bury their dead, as well. A war like this took a lot out of people, so he knew it would be a few days yet before the battle resumed. And, in that time, both sides would be warding off probing attacks and assassination attempts. War was a truly ugly thing where no one truly won.
Kaeru sat back, watching his sister ordering the retreat. He felt sorrow at the losses, for all the family he’d lost today and for the friends he’d never see again. They’d suffered some heavy losses, including Hikki, one of their five Grandmasters. That was a truly devastating blow.
He had to wonder where Irusaru had gotten off to. It wasn’t like the old man to miss a battle like this, especially with so much at stake. Having him here today would have made a huge difference. As someone on the Path of Power, the terrain would have bolstered the destructive capabilities of his Conqueror technique and might even have dissuaded the enemy from taking further action.
However, neither hide nor hair had been seen of the old man since he’d left several months prior. Perhaps he already knew of his granddaughter’s death and was too busy mourning. That man had already lost so much in his life. His wife, his only son, and now his son’s only daughter. All he really had left was his son’s widow, and that was a poor replacement for one’s own flesh and blood.
Everyone in the Tonde clan was family, but some were most definitely closer than others. The loss of so many may finally have driven Irusaru away for good.
Kaeru rubbed at his temples. For once, he wasn’t in a very good mood. This day had been a costly one, and there would be more to come. There was little he could do to directly help them, as that would invite the Beast King to act similarly.
So, what to do?
He sat there for long hours, as the last of the daylight faded into blackness. Lightning continued flashing across the sky, illuminating him on his perch every few minutes. But for a man who had lived this long, patience was something he had in abundance.
Finally, as the sky began to lighten with the dawn, Kaeru finally had a breakthrough. A smile touched his lips as he realized how he could help his clan and end the war. It would be all up to him, and time was of the essence. The battle would resume soon and if he hoped to avoid further bloodshed, he had to succeed.
17
Roy awoke sometime in the middle of the following day. He groaned as his body ached, punishing him for the abuse he’d put it through in the previous days. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Roy looked around, noting that the camp where the mystery man lived was now empty.
His stomach rumbled then, reminding him of his lack of food and forcing him to get up from his sort-of comfortable position against the tree. Rolling onto his stomach, Roy got to his feet. It was easier than it had been the day before, his mind once again growing accustomed to his lame leg.
The brace was holding up quite well, and he was glad he’d taken the time when first making it. It had shifted a little in the night, due to him removing the shoulder strap, but that was easily rectified. He knew he would have to put something between the strap and his shoulder soon. Otherwise, he would start to get sores from the constant chafing.
As soon as he’d hobbled into the man’s camp and used the stream to wash up and take a quick drink, he headed back into the forest to fix the problems he’d been
having. Firstly, he found a sharp stone, then wore the edges with another stone until he got it into the rough shape of a blade.
He then went around, testing the bark of different trees, until he found a desirable one. Using the stone knife, he stripped away a few bigger layers, trying to keep them as intact as he could. After he was done with that, he collected some moss. Then, he went hunting for vines. He was getting sick and tired of cutting away at his clothes and needed a new source of string.
It took him about an hour to find one that would work and another to hack it down and separate a few fibrous strips. He then set about fashioning himself a pair of slippers, wrapping the moss in the bark, then tying them to his feet. They weren’t the most comfortable, but they would do the job. He did the same for his shoulder, using the moss as padding and the bark as a cover, looping the strap over it.
The camp was still empty when he returned, so Roy set about looking for a way he could light a fire so he could cook some of the meat he’d collected. He had no luck with that and didn’t much fancy stealing from the man again, so, stomach growling, he sat down by the edge of the tree line to await the man’s return.
It was nearing evening when the man finally came back. He looked much the same as he had the day before. A slab of bloody meat slung over one shoulder, and the same bored expression was displayed on his face.
Roy had to wonder how many Beasts he’d killed today and how many more he’d kill that night.
Just as before, the man completely ignored him, going about his business. He washed the meat in the stream, then went to light a fire to dry it out. Roy could feel his mouth watering and the rumbling in his stomach increasing as the smell wafted over. He didn’t dare risk going over. He had no idea how the stranger might react to his intrusion.
He waited as night fell, and the man finished his meal. He rose once again, kicking dirt over the fire, then turned and walked back into the woods. As soon as he was out of sight, Roy hobbled into the camp as quickly as he could, hoping against hope that there might still be an ember left that he could use.
Unfortunately, the man had done a very good job at extinguishing the fire and there wasn’t so much as a spark left in the fire pit. Feeling his mood sour once again, Roy turned and headed back to his spot, slumping down against the tree. He’d done nothing today. He made no plans, exercised, or read, not that he could do most of that anymore.
His Essence was gone and, along with that, went his ability to function as he had before. If he wanted to stay alive, he was trapped here. He was stuck near this clearing and sticking as close to this man as possible.
Beasts would know that the man was a dangerous predator, and so they would stay away from this area. Even if he wasn’t around, this place would remain safe. But who knew how long the man would tolerate his presence? Or when he would finally have enough of him and tell him to leave? He clearly preferred solitude if he was living out here alone and likely wouldn’t take kindly to Roy constantly sticking around.
But Roy knew he had little choice. He was all alone and had no one to rely on, other than himself. If he wanted to stay alive, he would have to do whatever it took, even if it meant angering this man.
His stomach growled yet again, and Roy sighed. It seemed he had little choice now. He would just have to man up and do it. He would have to eat if he wanted to stay alive.
“Would you mind if I use your fire?”
The man looked up from tending his meat as Roy hobbled over to him, his face set and determined. It was morning, just barely, and the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon.
“I don’t need any of your meat,” he quickly added. “I just don’t have a way of making my own.”
The man continued to stare at him, his single visible black eye piercing into his. Then, he turned away and continued tending his fire.
Roy felt his heart sink. Of all the responses he’d known he could get, this was the one he’d feared the most. If the man simply ignored his request, there wasn’t really anything he could do. He couldn’t force this man to share his fire and begging didn’t seem to work either. With a dejected sigh, he began to turn away, already debating whether to risk eating the fruit that grew on the nearby trees.
“Why don’t you just make your own?”
Roy spun around at the tired sounding voice, shocked that his host actually answered.
“Um. I…can’t,” he replied. “I don’t know how.”
“You’re a Martial Artist, aren’t you?” the man asked, continuing to tend his meat. “Just use your Essence.”
Roy felt a pang in his chest as he was reminded once again of what he’d lost.
“Maybe once, but not anymore. I lost my ability to feel Essence several days ago.”
The man let out a tired sigh, then, ever so slowly, turned to face him.
“What is it you want from me? I can clearly see the Essence flowing through your body, so there has to be some other reason you’re bothering me. Did Bairin send you? If so, you can tell him that I’ll come back when I’m good and ready and not a moment before.”
Roy stared at the man uncomprehendingly.
He could see my Essence moving through my body? That’s just impossible. No way.
“I’m sorry to say that I don’t know what you are talking about,” Roy replied, gesturing to his leg, then to his empty waist. “As you can clearly see, I am a cripple and no Martial Artist. My friend…” Roy stuttered, remembering that Aika was most definitely not his friend before continuing. “My traveling companion and I were captured by some Martial Artists a few days ago. Around that time, I lost my connection with my Essence. They left me with two options, to either kill myself or go out into the wilds where I would be killed by Beasts. Why do you think I’ve been sticking so close to you the whole time? I almost died to that rat before you saved me. Why did you save me, by the way?”
The man let out another sigh, as though simply listening to Roy’s babbling was robbing him of the little energy he had left.
“First of all, I didn’t save you. I just happened to be nearby when you were being attacked. And secondly, I don’t understand why you would continue lying about your Essence. Sure, you’re only a Yellow-Belt, but your Essence is purer than any I’ve seen in a very long time. You’re clearly talented, even if your overall cultivation is low. Someone like you can go far, so clearly, you have another agenda for being here.
“Now, I made it very clear when I left that I wasn’t coming back, at least for a while. So, you can drop the act and go back to Chikyu City. I told Bairin that I wouldn’t take on another student, so you can tell him, ‘nice try, but I’m not falling for it.’”
“I can honestly say that I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Roy replied, now getting annoyed.
He didn’t appreciate being called a liar, especially by some hermit who clearly didn’t know much about anything. Other than killing Beasts, that was.
“All I want is some fire. Can you give me that?”
“Will you leave me alone if I do?” the man asked wearily.
“Yes, I’ll leave you alone.”
The man let out another long sigh, then pulled a burning branch from the pile and thrust it at him. Roy took it with a nod of thanks, then headed toward the edge of the clearing, to where he’d set up his makeshift camp. The man didn’t say anything as Roy left, which suited him just fine. The hermit hadn’t demanded he leave, simply leave him alone.
He also hadn’t specified how long he had to leave him alone for, and now that he’d gotten him to talk to him, he knew he could do it again.
Roy ate well that night and, for the first time in days, went to sleep with a full stomach. He took the time to hang the remainder of his meat over the fire to dry. He would have to get more in just another day, but he had an idea of how he’d do it, so he wasn’t too worried.
The next time the man went out to hunt Beasts, Roy followed him. If the man noticed him following, he didn’t say anything, simp
ly ignoring him as he went about his business. It wasn’t long until they came across their first Beast, the man killing it without even having to try. And, as per the previous times, he discarded the Core with a sound of disgust and left the animal after taking only a single strip of meat.
Roy cut as much of the meat as he could carry, loading it into a makeshift basket slung over his shoulder. He could only take so much, as he had to stay on the man’s trail if he wanted to stay safe. He collected the discarded Beast Core as well, even though he had no idea where he’d even be able to sell it. But for someone who’d gone through life as a pauper, he couldn’t knowingly leave such a fortune simply lying around.
He followed the man for the rest of the night, collecting Beast Cores and meat. The man seemed to have a nose for Beasts, leading them unerringly towards them. Roy knew this couldn’t be easy, as Beasts would avoid him at all costs. A predator as dangerous as he deserved a wide berth, yet he had no trouble running them down.
Roy had to wonder just how long this man had been living here and how many Beasts he’d killed in that time. It was a wonder that there were even any left.
By the time the man began his return trip, Roy had enough meat to last him a week and another dozen Beast Cores. He was grateful that the man moved so slowly as it would have been impossible for him to keep up if he didn’t. It was hard work limping through uneven terrain like that, and his right leg ached with every step.
This was the price of survival. If he wanted to keep living, he would have to take advantage of his current situation. He was exhausted by the time they made it back, but his stomach was rumbling once again. He’d tried to keep a fire going while he was gone, but unfortunately, it had gone out. When the man had kindled his, Roy once again approached to ask for some fire.
