I stood up, brushing myself off, noticing that it may have been a better idea to remove at least the robe and undershirt before starting. Too late now though.
“You can see World Force?” I asked, Sei, his hand starting to lower to his side.
He shook his head after a moment, still caught in something like awe. “I can’t. But I’m sure you’ll find out too one day. When you reach a certain level, the sensitivity you’ll have to your surroundings is bound to increase.”
I raised an eyebrow as he faced me more directly, both hands lazily behind his back now. “And you’ve reached that level?”
Sei chuckled, eyes drifting past me to a pond behind. “I’ve been stuck for a long time… But I’m close. Close enough to feel something beyond.”
To evolution?
Wasn’t Lucan supposed to be one of—if not, the strongest champion?
“Still,” I started once again, “It’s incredible that you could tell there was something there. When Mei used her power, I only knew what I couldn’t feel. So, I figured there was something else.”
“Maybe,” he sighed. “If only that was enough.”
His circumstances weren’t exactly something I was in a position to understand, but the meaning behind those words were easy enough to relate to. Powerlessness to change those above you. To influence matters and decisions made for you—against you.
“We only have to train,” I said, hopping off the rock. “Speaking of… It might be a bit strange, but it would be nice to have a practice partner—”
He turned, cutting me off with only a couple words. “Follow me.”
We walked in silence for a while, which gave me time to enjoy the bright colors of the crystals glistening against the placid lakes—many holding those creatures from the sea, breaking the steel edge of the water with their gentle water spurts.
We followed a smooth-stone paved path up to a section on the far end of the house, one that lay directly on the foundations rather than lifted like the rest. There was a small keypad on one end of the door and Sei’s fingers drifted over it, pressing several buttons quickly.
He glanced back, motioning with his head. “Come in.”
The door opened and he stepped through, disappearing entirely.
And, I don’t mean he just walked in. No, he was gone. As in, that door led to somewhere bathed in darkness. There was simply nothing. Just a void.
“I’m sure he won’t do anything…”
I stepped through, taking a deep breath as I did.
Nothing happened.
There was no intense travel or a sort of transference, but something did definitely happen. Because, that little section was no where near this big.
“You wanted to train, right?!” Sei called out from across the padded room. “Nothing in here should get damaged by anything you do!”
His voice echoed across the well-lit chamber. There were mirrors across the wall, and enough space for scores of people to move freely. It was a training hall by all standards.
Modernized, with unmistakable weights for training. Devices that I couldn't recognize in certain sections, but all of it was covered in a light blue material that sunk in slightly as I stepped across it.
Soft.
That was the best way to describe it. Falling on this wouldn’t be bad at all.
I decided to bring up my earlier request as I walked over to the man. “It might be boring for you, but…” I paused, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. That feeling of pressure he gave, one that didn’t force your body down, but sunk into your soul—screaming danger. ‘Boring’ may not be the right word to describe a duel between us.
‘Inappropriate 'may be closer.
“This place can also withstand anything I can do,” he said with a short laugh. “Not that I plan to go all out.”
An agreement.
So, with a deep—and I mean deep breath, my body settled into a comfortable stance.
Was there a point in hiding anything?
Probably, but I wanted to really go. Fight against someone who had no chance to fall against me.
My gloves manifested across my hands, each one shining with qualities of my ice abilities.
My heart started to beat quicker. Is this the feeling I would have before I found that creature? Found whatever it was that Kazriel became? Whatever the monster was that destroyed my home—the one who shared that name—wasn’t human.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
But it was strong. So strong that my own hatred of it was tampered by the impossible distance between us.
But, in the end, fighting someone far higher than me was already indirectly happening.
This was a prelude to what I would have to face.
“Your expression is scary,” Sei darkly muttered. “Stop looking at me like that and attack already.”
There wasn’t any strategy that I needed. Nothing would matter anyway, so I did what he asked. First constricting my arm, summoning several icicles that floated around my head in a crescent pattern.
All of this, assisted by my domain.
Circulations in my feet next.
A dash.
Claws elongating during with powerful, condensed ice on the left—veins of glowing power running through them. The right building up in size with the same material, resembling my old gauntlets.
My focus right now wasn’t to work on my control between the Fire and Water Force, so I focused solely on the one I was used to, allowing the process of making it become more natural.
Still… I let something build in my left hand. Pressure increasing. Power accumulating.
Each shard launched from me, splitting into spaller pieces, fine and thin like Elric’s blades, still keeping their deadly qualities. It gave a slight headache to give command to all this, to give my own Will in order to create the small fractures, but it did seem to cause some sort of surprise.
Sei’s eyes widened, but his movements were quick and efficient despite his reaction.
My left arm swung towards his neck, muscles flexed, the other keeping guard over me. Even with all I could do now, my control was still limited if I didn’t want to pass out. And my experience was too low in forming a barrier.
So, I kept the large right hand back as guard.
Even as one of his hands moved in delicate intricate patterns to catch each shard of ice, appearing as if his attention was taken, another moved to intercept me, right hand dangling loose as his wrist struck mine, swiping it away.
My arm turned numb and a pain reverted through me. Not something excruciating, but difficult to pinpoint, as if all my energy was seeping away on that side of my body. Stolen.
Extracted.
My levels of Internal Force unchanged, but something deeper was taken away.
He smiled after, holding up each pulsing shard as if to brag right in front of our faces.
His mouth opened to say something but—
B-B-B-B-B-BOOM!
Each of them exploded, cutting off anything that would’ve come out, and my right fist swung out. My Spiritual Sense was pushed to its full potential, every outline of my opponent within my view. Surprised. Unaware, and unable to resist.
The gauntlet of ice stuck. And beneath it all—the blasting wave that had been gathering.
One consisting, not of a balance, but of that pure, raw, explosive energy.
A flash of light as I hit something solid.
Rrrrummmble.
The pressure sent me back.
With everything gone, forming barriers was easier.
Each one cracking, breaking, just as another formed.
As the sound hit, I’m pretty sure I heard something of a grumble mixed with a shout from Luna, followed by the same from Wyrem, but it was a bit too loud even through the barriers to catch properly.
The air cleared up, and I lifted my head, rubbing it while groaning.
Then, I froze.
Not a single thread.
A single hair.
The clothes, the man—all of it was unchanged.
“You really have to stop with those expressions, young man,” Sei said, rubbing a hand through his hair. “Why do you look so disappointed? It’s just a spar.”
Disappointment?
Was that it? I already knew what the result would be, but even still… nothing? I lowered my head, a laugh escaping as I pushed myself up.
“Where did you get clothes like that?” I asked, forcing my tone.
He crooked his head only slightly, but whatever was on his mind was dropped, since he instead decided to answer me.
“A large creature down south. It has no name.”
Again, I was stunned. “You found something new, powerful, and didn’t name it?”
He shrugged. “Why should I? It’s dead now.”
The strong are truly insane, I muttered to the others inside me.
Luna flashed a bright red, before dimming. You really should warn us if you can. Even if we’re training… But, I agree, who would leave an opportunity like that hanging?
You’re right, sorry, I apologized. It wasn’t even the first time she had mentioned me doing that. I’ll give you both a heads up next time. My mistake.
Well done, Wyrem said, without clarifying.
I’m sure he would have, but Sei startled me away from the mental conversation.
“It’s not very nice to have a private conversation when someone else is around,” he chastised with a knowing smile.
The strong are just scary, I remarked with finality, putting on a sheepish smile.
If he was close to evolution, maybe it wasn’t so strange that he could sense Luna. Serith did. Not to mention that somewhere in this continent was the place where at least moderately intelligent plant life lived.
“Sorry…”
He nodded, obviously not taking it to heart.
“I’m impressed. Amei told me about the fight. I can’t lie and say that I’m not a bit confused by her performance. She must’ve been too nervous, but now, I fell a bit better.”
I stood confused by his words.
But he continued, still not clearing it up.
“I’d like for her to fight you again. Without the pressure.”
He waited for a moment, so I responded. “Sure, that’s no problem with me.”
“Good,” he breathed a slow sigh. “But either way, she wouldn’t have matched up to you. Close maybe, but she isn’t as… insane.”
I looked down at myself and mentally apologized to Rojin.
Unlike his master's clothing, these were not as durable. His outfit was ruined, and being more planned, more built in power, my explosion left me… breezy.
Red started to creep up my neck.
But as if nothing was wrong or different, Sei continued to stun me, paying no attention to my lack of attire.
“You hit me. Even if I wasn’t paying much attention—” He cut himself off, waving that away, staring straight into my eyes with an expression more serious than I’d seen before.
“Become my disciple.”