Mystery Cultivators Assemble
Year 108
Chrys ducked their head back out of the shelter and watched as Lemar and Fin sparred against each other. The training grounds they were currently in resembled the desert outside with an artificial sun blazing above them. They were both more puddle than man at this point, but neither of them was willing to admit defeat to each other or the heat. The entire contest had begun when another member of their group Spyridon had offered to share a talisman recipe they had found. The Talisman would create a sphere of silence around the user, ideal for both Lemar and Fin.
That Spyridon would likely share the recipe with the loser anyway had been ignored when Jamie suggested it. After all, neither Lemar nor Fin could bear to be behind the other ever since about their 3rd training session. Spyridon and Cassandra found it hilarious as the two of them usually trailed behind in anything but their specialities while Chrys and Jamie simply watched on having learnt that nothing they did would hold either of the men back.
Fin was the first to slip in the end, the heat proving too much for them they fell straight into a punch by Lemar. With his opponent on the ground, Lemar stood triumphant for a moment before collapsing himself with the background music of Spyridon and Cassandra's applause. Chrys and Jamie meanwhile dashed over and dragged the idiots out of the sun before they suffered anymore.
After a couple more minutes the clock that Centurion Briána had left Chrys signalled that they were up next. A quick look around revealed four or five other aspirants who were waiting for their next match, although the heat haze made it impossible to identify them. Picking out the closest Chrys made their way over to them and bowed, ignoring the sound of Spyridon offering a bet to the others.
As their opponent bowed back Chrys saw that it was Vaso, a fellow body cultivator. Unlike Chrys, they were strong in the blood of Bronze and vastly superior with the Bronze Fist. On a typical day, Chrys would be consigning themselves to defeat, but with the artificial sun beating down on them both Chrys figured they might be able to outlast Vaso.
As Vaso raised his head back up Chrys took the beginning stance for The Empty Palm of Ascending Turtles and counted Vaso's opening attack. The two Asprients soon lost themselves in the exchange of fists. Chrys using the Empty Palm to negate Vaso's attacks while shifting him into an opening for their own. On the other hand, Vaso took each off Chrys's blows straight on with his bronze body shrugging off any damage as he struck back with stone breaking force.
Locked in a deadlock just like how Lemar and Fin have been earlier Chrys wanted to despair, it was becoming clear that Vaso would not be weakening first after all. As the dual continued it was Chrys who began to fade, the damage from Vaso's blows adding up alongside the heat of the sun. Their own attacks too weak and slow, like always.
With a yell Vaso punched forwards, his fist blasting aside Chrys' counter. The punch slammed into Chrys' sternum and sent them flying backwards through the air. For a while, Chris just looked up into the sky, the light of the artificial sun seeming to be a condemnation of their dreams until a shadow blocked it. With a sigh, Chris accepted the offered hand and let Vaso pull them to their feet.
"Nice spar Chris, I thought I would knock you out in the first minute but you lasted for ages there," Vaso said, an easy grin across his face. "They'll make a juggernaut out of you yet!"
Laughing in return, Chris slapped his hand on Vaso's shoulder and made his way back to his friends, Vaso remaining under the sun waiting for his next challenger.
As difficult as the day was proving to be, it wasn't anything new. For Chrys and the other Aspirants, every day in the Dawn Fortress was to be a challenge.
They sparred against each other to refine their bodies, studied the history of the clan to refine their minds, and practised the Hoppolite Formations to refine their spirits.
The Centurions pushed them in every possible manner, all to create a Warrior strong enough to not only survive the Organ Meat Desert but master themselves as well.
While this had sounded like a great calling when Chrys was younger, it was an endless field of suffering as they stressed the Body, Mind and Spirit to their limits each day. At times it felt like the only things keeping Chrys going were the companions beside him and the tacit knowledge that they would hold each other up without question.
After another seven spars, broken up by two more breaks Centurion Briána's voice echoed across the field, announcing the training session was over. All of the Aspirants made their way over to the Eastern wall where centurion Briána waited for then, a stock of canteens sitting at her feet. Still, as their teachers were often prone to lecture, a golden devil cultivator didn't just pounce on the first sign of respite, and so they all lined up and bowed in unison.
"Thank you for guidance centurion Briána," they shouted as one.
"Good job everyone. your next training session is with Principale Fotis In two hours which gives you plenty of time to meditate on the advice I've left you with your water. Dismissed." She announced before turning her back and exiting the arena; ignoring the almost mad scramble for water which started the moment she finished speaking.
Jaime and Cassandra slipped between the other aspirants while Spyridon and Fin held Chrys and Lemar upwards as they made their way out. The four of them sat down on the nearest bench and luxuriated in the first real shade of the day. Chrys Breathed in deep for a moment before accepting their water from Jaime. Ignoring the scroll tied to the canteen, Chrys cracked open the top and took a large gulp, unable to assist the temptation of cool water. By the sounds around them, Chris wasn't the only one unable to pace themselves right now.
Catching their breath, Chrys looked over to see that Cassandra was already reading her scroll, the only hint that she had touched her water at all the cracked seal. Sensing Chrys' attention, she looked up and smiled. "It's another essay on teamwork and communication," she said, before gesturing to Chrys' scroll.
Holding back a yawn, they pulled open the scroll just enough to read the title. "The Desert Blades. Huh, a sword art?"
At this point, Lemar had finished his water and joined in. "Sounds like a good idea, a sword would help with your damage issue."
"I don't have a damage issue; the clan just has outrageous standards" Chrys huffed, ignoring Spyridon's giggling. "What's your's on?"
"An essay on the hearing of something called a Whale. It looks long as well." He answered before nudging Fin. "How about you Fin?"
"A diagram on the human body. She's annotated it with good stabbing points." Fin sighed, their struggles with Centurion Briána's approach to medicine well known to the group.
"Well I have a manual on hiding" Spyridon added, finally done with their giggling fit. "Which is a bit odd considering the session we just had"
This prompted Jaime to click her tongue and reached past Fin and Lemar to grab Spyridon's scroll "It says occultation, not hiding. Like when you block the view of something. Guess she wants you to practice your faints."
"Oi! My faints are great; I even got Fabiola with one today." Spyridon retorted in mock anger as he caught his scroll just before it hit his face.
"Shouting look behind you isn't a faint, and it only worked because Vaso sent Wen flying at that exact moment," replied Jaime, before rolling her eyes. "Anyway mine is on body language. Think we might be able to compare notes Fin?"
While Fin and Jaime started going over their scrolls together and ignoring Spyridon's continuing whining, tuning out their friends, Chrys returned to their drink and considered the matter of his scroll. They didn't particularly want to learn fencing; they loved the feeling of triumph that mastering their body gave them, even when it hurt.
Probably telling something was wrong Cassandra pattered Chrys head. "The river that bursts its banks is still a river. The weapons of the mind are the weapons of the body" In a tone of complete confidence. Then before Chrys could puzzle out what she meant Cassandra linked their arms and started walking off, pulling Chrys along with them. Used to their friend's odd ways by Chrys let her, waving goodbye to the rest of the group.
"See you in a couple of hours" Lemar called back, huge grins now plastered across the rest of the group's faces.
Soon enough, Chrys worked out that Cassandra was pulling them in the direction of the training armoury. "Really? I was going to follow her advice Cassandra; you didn't need to force me here" Chrys grumbled. Ignoring the traitorous voice that asked really.
"Better the river that flows fast than the river that stagnates" was her only reply, obviously fully into one of her nonsense trances.
Remembering better than to push when she was like this Chrys just sighed and hoped she would be better by the next training session. Instead, Chrys used their free hand to check the scroll in case the technique required specific blades; after all, everyone still remembered when Spyridon first told Cassandra that he wanted to specialise in talismans. She had delivered a damn obelisk to his dorm the next day imbued with an enchantment of weight, where she had found something like that who knew. The Obelisk was still standing there as well; no one had the strength or contribution points to move it.
Luckily it didn't look like The Desert Blades cared much for the blades used, only that they had two of them, which meant that Chrys probably didn't have to worry about whatever Cassandra was going to pick out. Probably.
Right?
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And now the rest of the gan show up. Spyridon is already a great background character in my heart. Sadly Jaime and Briána didn't get to do much today, although I hope the dynamics of the group are clear enough already.
Also, this chapter was written before I read the update. So Briána wasn't intended to be the Centurion from the council, still, she's a great character who I want to write more of. (checks notes) but she won't be showing up again soon I expect.
Edit: woops, forgot the title.
