Amdirlain’s PoV - Limbo - Monastery of Will’s Hand
The crystals ripped through the air a split second too late. Amdirlain slipped past a kick that rent the air and unleashed another Swarm of Crystals. The Psionic technique created a score of razor-edged spines that leapt towards Liranë—too late again. Instead of retreating, Liranë had bounced off an invisible foothold, and Acidic Blade bloomed from her forearm, extending her reach. A moment of precognition slipped past Liranë’s interference, and Amdirlain switched techniques on the fly in Zen State. Her mind enfolded in Harmony, it helped to link them and let Biofeedback slip instantly into place.
The Acidic Blade scoured a thin line across Amdirlain’s shoulder and Liranë’s flesh hissed in sympathy. The wound far lighter than Liranë’s mastery should have inflicted—already lessened by Amdirlain’s Acid Resistance. It ended the round, but instead of breaking the link, Amdirlain used it to share her regeneration.
[Psychometabolism [Ap](27->28)]
“Such a difference in styles does you both good, but I can tell you have begun adapting to each other.”
Cyrus had watched the training with Liranë in calm silence and only spoke up when they bowed at the finish.
“Would you do me the honour of a brief exchange, Master Cyrus?” asked Liranë.
Her request stirred a moment of envy in Amdirlain. Though she wanted to have Liranë’s opportunity, sparring was a bad idea. The simplest touch of Cyrus’ flesh was enough to cause agony, and the injury her Zen State had allowed Liranë to land was a reminder of Elliyna’s instruction.
“I’m merely a guest, there is no need for weighting me down with the title of Master. Since your match’s rule was that Amdirlain had to inflict one Psi injury upon you to win. I would suggest if you touch me before you surrender, you win.”
Switching places with Cyrus, Amdirlain watched the pair square off from the edge of the training hall. Liranë’s focused intent was clear, but Cyrus seemed simply distracted. Neither of them moved for long minutes before Liranë feinted fast towards Cyrus’ face. The Immortal didn’t blink when Liranë’s strike shifted direction and her body coiled into a rising knee strike. He simply wasn’t there by the most meagre of margins.
Against the flurry of attacks, there were no blocks or even deflexions, and Liranë picked up the pace. Cyrus flowed around her offence, a drifting mist that was impossible to capture. His only actions the absolute minimum of motion required for avoidance, and his hands stayed relaxed at his sides. A dancer following Liranë’s lead, slipping away from everything she threw his way, be it physical or Psi. Manifestations and projections sprayed crystals, sparked or burnt the air, yet still, nothing landed.
After ten minutes of full-on activity, Liranë stopped and bowed. “Know it was a great honour, Master Cyrus, and you have my thanks for your indulgence. I learnt much that I need to meditate on.”
Turning to Amdirlain, she bowed again and looked oddly pleased despite her failure to win either training match. “Know that your Psi techniques are improving Novice Amdirlain.”
“Thank you, Master Liranë, but they’re still far too slow to catch you,” Amdirlain replied.
“Know further meditation on each is required; find the unnecessary aspects of your image. Know once you cut it down to the essential, it will become second nature,” replied Liranë and motioned to Cyrus. “Know Master Cyrus reminded me of the same lesson in a different facet of battle this evening—remove what is unneeded. Since your mind and will are so strong, why are your manifestations not able to be stronger and faster?”
“I’ll see what I can discover,” assured Amdirlain, and watched Liranë’s pleased expression.
Master Cyrus moved to sit facing her as Liranë left the room, but he waited for the door to close before he spoke. “One should avoid unneeded actions in battle, but be careful not to remove the apparently unnecessary from life. Gentler aspects help nourish the Soul; however rigid the Githzérai behave, they appreciate subtle art forms.”
“I thought enlightenment came from sitting under trees while living off pine nuts and air,” quipped Amdirlain, and instantly wanted to brick her mouth shut.
“Perhaps if that turn of the wheel of life has you living as a shrub. Would you care to have a training match as well?”
The agony’s memory shivered within her, and Amdirlain shook her head. “I’ll decline, but thank you for the offer.”
The words had Cyrus’s eyebrows quickly lift, but thankfully he seemed genuinely curious, not insulted. “Why is that? I saw the moment of envy when Master Liranë asked to spar.”
Amdirlain almost picked a polite deflexion but went with the truth. “Your touch alone was agony. Even if I only need to touch you to win, I’d likely have that hesitation distracting me from whatever I could learn.”
“You resisted my touch and the opening of my third eye without a sound. Do you believe you could not handle a training match unflustered?”
The long conversation she’d had with Elliyna on the subject made Amdirlain all too aware of the abuse she’d adjusted herself to enduring.
“I’ve been casual about the injuries I’ve inflicted on myself or endured, without good reason. Master Elliyna’s instructions are to avoid them where possible while healing. She believes I need better stability to judge when it is truly necessary.”
Her words brought a wince from Cyrus, and he fixed her with a concerned look. “Winning the match against Master Liranë was a good enough reason?”
“No, actually it wasn’t, and I shouldn’t have taken the win that way,” admitted Amdirlain.
“Why did you then?”
Stopping, Amdirlain considered the moment, taking herself out of the flow of the battle and understanding her intent. “Zen State, I’m slowly getting the Psi techniques I’m learning to behave within it. Biofeedback works so well with Harmony; it’s instinctive, whereas the others still feel disjointed, which slows them down. I let frustration at missing get the better of my intent to avoid self-harm.”
“Do you need an image with Biofeedback?”
“No, I just stop being separate,” murmured Amdirlain, lapsing back into Gith as she considered Harmony blending with the technique to connect her will to Liranë’s form again.
”How did you come to see it in such a fashion?”
Protean weirdness, absorbing flesh of the fallen into my form.
“I gave you a summary of what I’ve been through, Master Cyrus, but regardless of what you are, I’ve experienced betrayal previously from a Celestial source. Telling you more will have to wait until I get to know you better.”
“Among the Immortals, some achieve the state via enlightenment, and others by being provided Elixirs. You remind me of the new Immortals raised through a gift of the Emperor’s peach wine. Powerful compared to Mortals yet with so many flaws. Please accept my apology for the pain of my touch and undoubtedly the pressure caused by my third eye. Although, if you hadn’t been able to resist them, you’d have no place among children.”
“The apology isn’t necessary, especially not if you believe there were children at risk. Yet I’ll still draw the line at some secrets. Even though I’m sure you see more with your third-eye than I might presently like you to know.”
“For me, the apology is necessary, both for the pain and the error in judgement. Even Immortals can make mistakes when interacting with others. We walk a path refining our own Soul but others can pay the price for the lessons one learns. Master Jarithä stated you were in his care; I should have left the responsibility to him.”
“Are you concerned about bad Karma or something?” quipped Amdirlain, remembering Rachel’s argument about the European viewpoint being wrong. The prompt brought forth a calm memory, but their history still felt tainted.
“Karma is neither good nor bad it simply is what comes into your life. The importance is not what happens to you, but what you learn from it. Each journey on life’s wheel helps the Soul refine itself from the lesson learnt. Hopefully, the journeys on the wheel of life can purify the flaws and aid the Soul to reach enlightenment.”
“You don’t want to re-introduce a flaw to your Soul?”
“One should know others’ pain. Kwan Yin has often rebuked those who believe they should disregard compassion. It is a path that causes an inability to form any sort of connection with others. Once you remove compassion, you cease to care about the state of others and become isolated and blind to the misery in the world. I judged whatever pain you’d endured as a fleeting thing, yet I’ve added to the burden of your healing. The way you spoke during your summary, let me see the pain you carry.”
“I’m still not sparring with you or giving more secrets away. But.. that is a good reason to be given an apology, so I accept.”
“We don’t see the world in the same way, so it might be for the best to keep your secrets. Would you tell me more of the world you came from before your curse?”
“That I can share. The weapons you mentioned. Did you mean nuclear weapons?”
“I can speak English if that is easier for you than Gith. Or do you speak a civilised language?”
“What do you count as civilised?”
“Parsi, or Hindi; I prefer conversing in these, but there are a few others. The Jade Court uses only Mandarin for its ceremonies, but Immortals and Shen can understand any language. English is only the language of commerce really—it has no heart, just ugly sounds.”
“For that, I’ll inflict English with all its contradictions on you.”
“Unnecessary cruelty is a flaw that one should remove,” observed Cyrus.
Amdirlain waved him off with a smirk and continued in English with a roll of her eyes. “Please, I grew up with English; I know how bad it is, but I don’t get to speak my native language often.”
“A normal Human awareness going through so much, I’m surprised you didn’t come apart,” noted Cyrus.
“I pushed a lot into increasing my Willpower to hold myself together. It’s annoying my new species doesn’t increase it, instead of Charisma.” admitted Amdirlain. “I assume your Willpower is massive because of the defence rating you possess, but how is your Melee Attack Power so high?”
“From those that changed after our arrival here, developing Willpower is key to a Monk’s defence, but also for some advanced Prestige classes it benefits offense as well. You were a native English speaker. Were you part of the English Empire, or one of its subjugated territories?”
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Though she frowned at the subject reverting, his question caught her attention. “The English no longer had an Empire where I came from; they had an alliance of former colonies but no longer an Empire.”
“The second Ming dynasty, or the Hungarian-Prussian Empire?” questioned Cyrus and leant forward eagerly.
“No, China was socialist, and most of Europe comprised individual countries, though many were members of an economic alliance. Russia’s leadership was always sabre rattling to take back select chunks of what they lost in the late twentieth century.”
“Yet your native tongue is the same though you have an odd accent. I had wondered if there were more realms out there that evolved close together or came from an original source. Though I don’t recognise your socialist term, no matter, it seems there is at least one other world. I’m pleased humanity has more chances to prosper than just our realm.”
“Where are the descendants of the people you evacuated now?” asked Amdirlain, taking her turn to jump the conversation track.
“They lived for a time among the heavenly regions but returned to the earthly Plane after the conflict passed. The colonisation of Mars?”
“That’s an odd topic switch,” laughed Amdirlain.
“The Ming Dynasty set up the first colony on it. Did someone from your realm reach it? Immortals couldn’t travel there; it was too far from our Celestial centre, and the life-field of the world couldn’t support us. I was curious to explore it and find if there were ever little green men living on it.”
“Only unmanned probes had landed on it, but lots of studies going on.”
Current situations were a more straightforward comparison, given her historical knowledge was only at a high-school level. With the odd jumps their conversation took, it seemed their worlds had diverged after the middle-ages, if they’d ever been one at all. Their strange conversation continued until others arrived for the morning meditation.
* * *
“Apologies, Master Âdaka, but I know the source of Novice Amdirlain’s inability to find her chakras. Might I assist in this matter?” asked Cyrus.
Âdaka hadn’t reacted to Cyrus listening in to their conversation after the morning meditation. However, when he spoke up, she beckoned him to move closer.
At the gesture, Cyrus raised his hand and glanced at Amdirlain meaningfully. “My apologies again, but it is something that will be of no use to yourself and touches on other matters. Unless Novice Amdirlain, you have shared similar information to yesterday’s discussion with Master Âdaka?”
“Know that I will leave you to your discussion, then. Know that Master Jarithä has indicated that there are matters involving you that are best left to your discretion, Novice Amdirlain,” stated Âdaka and touched her shoulder reassuringly.
Cyrus didn’t wait for Âdaka to move far and switched to English. “Instead of your breathing and blood, focus on the web of energy within Ki Movement, unless you have developed Ki Flight.”
“No, I never really tried to get access to it since I have other Flight options.”
“Very well. It is an exercise best done in stillness. Either a kneeling or standing meditation posture works best—whatever you feel most comfortable in,” instructed Cyrus, and copied Amdirlain as she took up a seiza position.
Without preamble, fine lines of glowing Ki energy enfolded Cyrus, forming precise interlinking hexagons moving across his body, the strength of the lines apparently waxing and waning. “The Ki wants to move, but it is always something like a net—or a web—that contains one’s form. Now the issue is that you’re not actually alive, rather your form is a vessel encapsulating your Soul. The chakras are where the spiritual energy and physical life energies mingle in living beings.”
“I can’t find them because I don’t actually have any?”
Cyrus nodded but signalled Amdirlain to wait. “Not in the fashion of Mortals, but there are still key points. However, the challenge is they differ in both their position and nature depending on the Immortal. The field created by Ki Movement is an example of the differences. I’ve caused mine to show by filling it with extra Ki so you can compare it to your own.”
There was no need for her to activate the Power to see the difference, giving the uniformity of the shapes moving about his form. “Yours is precise and carefully aligned, even while it moves around. Mine is more a spider’s web flexing in a breeze; very few spaces within the web look identical.”
“Yet, though different, they work for each of us. Something else to know if you force the Ki lines into a new pattern, you’d have to relearn it.”
“What causes the difference?”
“Ki is spiritual life force welling and merging within us. An individual’s skill and control affect how well it is used, but the person’s nature always influences it, even if trained in the same way,” explained Cyrus. “Have you meditated on the patterns the Power causes in the Ki?”
“I’ve meditated and watched it while running, but not to look for patterns. I tried to understand it and enjoyed the way it continually shifted about.”
“Spend time regularly meditating on the patterns and let them guide you. You should find key points within them that—while they move about—stay consistent in both form and the strength of Ki within them. You should find between three and seven, perhaps eleven of them. Your irregular patterns will make this easier; I had to spend months looking for key nodes to sections where the energy never varied in intensity.”
“Are those nodes our version of the chakra?”
“No, they are just a steppingstone on the journey. It is important not to rush ahead. You need to find your understanding of their pattern first; it is also in your Ki State but within this Power it is easier to see it. You have Ki filling you like a mist, which is good but also potentially limiting. One day you’ll find it crystallising within your form if you do not move beyond that state. Understanding its flows—the pattern—is one aspect to using it more efficiently and preventing that.”
“How long is too long?” asked Amdirlain, trying to remember when the mist had risen from her Ki pool.
“A century or three, so while you’ve time to progress, it can disappear quickly,” replied Cyrus, and gave a wry smile. “I once spent that long under a tree, which is why I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are a shrub.”
Suppressing a few choice comments, Amdirlain even avoided rolling her eyes. “Then I’ll heed your experience and seek my web’s anchor points.”
“There your lessons in images for your Psi techniques that might help you find your path onwards.”
Cyrus raised his hand to pat her shoulder, only to pull it back just before contact. “It’s good you could withstand my touch, exploding would have made a mess.”
Not sure how to respond, Amdirlain simply bowed and rushed off to make the morning meal on time.
* * *
The morning’s physical training saw a pair of the Githzérai guests join Master Liranë. Unlike the various hairstyles within the monastery, both female Githzérai had their heads shaved. A hand-width shorter than Amdirlain, their lean bodies possessed the typical jaundice-hued skin of other Githzérai. The clearest point of difference in appearance was the freckles dusting the cheekbones of Master Rinji, and the slightly sharper checks and chin of Master Chessa. Otherwise, they regarded each Novice with the same calm amethyst gaze and unshifting expression, the colours of their clothing equally drab as the monastery uniforms. Though the styles differed somewhat, they were still loose and practical.
Neither of them had been among the gathering accompanying Master Cyrus the other day, and it had Amdirlain wondering exactly how many Monks Master Jarithä had invited. Though checking them with Analysis, she found that neither had a Prestige Class. Rinji’s classes were Monk and Priest, while Chessa showed Monk and Fighter, and both had progressed their classes into the high sixties.
It was clear they’d already planned between themselves when after the warm-ups, Liranë invited Rinji to explain the principles within Ki Strike. After that, they instructed the Novices to add it to as many strikes as possible during the lesson’s course. Instead of the usual instructions to Amdirlain to conduct multiple techniques, Master Liranë simply told everyone to match her pace.
One by one, the Novices ran through their Ki, and the visiting Masters waved them off to one side to contemplate upon their pool’s emptiness. Their nausea and hollowed looks showed the impact of burning through their limited Ki in a hurry. When the last of them were sitting off to the side, Rinji and Chessa stood close to Amdirlain, watching the energy sheathing her fists. Beyond them, Liranë didn’t worry about keeping her smile concealed, leading through various Zerthi strikes and blocks.
“We could be here a while,” Amdirlain said in a closed mental link to Liranë. “Did they not ask questions about why there is an older Novice in your class?”
“Know that they informed me they wished to assess the Novices’ capabilities themselves.”
“And making Novices aware of how it feels to run dry Ki quickly?” asked Amdirlain.
“Indeed.”
Unfussed, Amdirlain just focused on executing each technique properly and considered the applications of each in various forms. It was close to lesson’s end before Rinji shifted impatiently, and Amdirlain was pleased to note the Novices were looking somewhat recovered.
“What level are you, Novice?” asked Rinji, her calm expression gaining an edge of exasperation.
“I’ve a few levels in Monk, plus some other classes, Master Rinji,” Amdirlain replied glibly. “I could do this all day. Since I have experience with Ki Strike, holding it ready this way isn’t consuming Ki.”
Rinji sighed and glanced back at Liranë before addressing Amdirlain again. ”Know that you keep your movements very controlled. Know I shouldn’t have assumed it was merely Elven grace, but I’ve only read of your species.”
So many assumptions, so little time. At least I know Cyrus isn’t a big mouth to everyone in the delegation.
“Would you show us a kata from your primary style?” asked Chessa, motioning for her to stop.
As Amdirlain lowered her hands, she gave a full-bodied shrug, aware that the Karate Kata she used for Meditation in the past weren’t really part of her style. “It doesn’t have any Master Chessa.”
What’s that comment attributed to Bruce Lee? Karate is an iron bar whereas Kung Fu is an iron bar attached to a chain. Does that make my style a storm lashing everything around it with iron bars and blades?
“Then how do you perfect its techniques?”
“By not dying,” replied Amdirlain, and hurried to continue before Chessa could interject. “It’s my own style and I try to keep it very adaptive. The only Katas I know aren’t part of my style. What I’m learning here will hopefully allow me insights into its improvement.”
“Would you demonstrate your form then?”
The Novice’s excited murmur caused Liranë to join the discussion. “Know that I would suggest viewing the psi-crystal of a challenge that Novice Amdirlain conducted shortly after her arrival here.”
“Know a psi-crystal would not have captured aspects of her Ki’s expressions,” grumbled Chessa, with a confused frown at the Novices’ continued excitement.
“I’m sorry for wasting your time Masters Rinji and Chessa. While I’m a Novice here, I’m not a Novice Monk, it’s more important to assess where the others are; you needn’t worry about me in that respect.”
“Know that you are here to learn.”
“Actually, I’m here primarily for some peaceful stability.” retorted Amdirlain, and winced at the sharp tone. “Apologies Masters, but I am among the Novices because of a mental injury and needing a stable routine during healing. Please focus on the others and I’ll see what insights I can gain from your instruction of them. My presence shouldn’t be a distraction from the importance of their learning.”
A glint of amusement in Liranë’s gaze provided Amdirlain with plenty of warning, but Liranë spoke over her attempted objection. “Know that I’ve already asked Master Tenzin to assist. Know Novice Amdirlain, I believe you should repeat the lesson you gave Master Âdaka.”
“Master Liranë, with all due respect, you’re a menace,” muttered Amdirlain. “I’ve been avoiding it.”
“Know that I’m aware of that Novice Amdirlain,” assured Liranë, and her serious tone turned teasing. “But there was no recording, which is shameful.”
Amdirlain waved to the open space behind her and gave a frustrated grumble. “Know that I can handle Chaos Shaping a target.”
“Know it’s best if Master Tenzin does so, then there will be less argument later,” teased Liranë, and a psi-crystal appeared floating above her hand. At the low wordless murmur from the Novices, she glanced their way. “Know that I’ll copy the recording for all of you, and Master Tenzin will be here shortly.”
Master Tenzin wasn’t the only one, and Âdaka, along with a stream of Masters that Amdirlain didn’t recognise, trailed in after her, clasping crystals of their own.
As the score of excited Masters spread themselves around the hall’s perimeter, Amdirlain glared at Liranë. “I’m going to get you for this.”
Liranë’s expression turned smug at the half-hearted threat. “Know I’m counting on you trying during our rematch.”
The strike plate Tenzin created in the centre of the hall wasn’t steel but black Adamantine that matched the monastery’s outer walls.
“This is an upgrade of that demonstration, not a repeat,” grumbled Amdirlain, and stepped towards it when Tenzin waved her forward. Eyeing Tenzin suspiciously, Amdirlain stepped to one side and found the strike plate could do a battleship proud.
“Do you expect me to punch through that?”
“Know I thought it would let us gauge how much damage you can do. Know since you can already destroy a steel plate, it’s hard to judge when you improve later.”
“Squeak!”
I’m a lab rat!
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nevermind,” sighed Amdirlain, and took her position in front of the target again. “You’re right. Complete destruction is the top end of the scale; after that, it’s all over nine thousand.”
“Know you are in a strange mood today, Novice Amdirlain.”
Letting go of the Mantle’s strands of energy, Amdirlain settled herself and the whispers died away along with the grass-like field around her. Destruction Mana flowed into Ki Infusion in a rush of energy very alien in comparison to the field’s peace. There was no malevolence about it, simply a mindless destructive force that claimed everything in its wake.
Light twisted around her fist, pulled into the void’s force, and the punch’s impact cratered wrist deep into the strike plate. The Mana’s burst chewed the metal into dust and sent cracks in all directions that thinned into hairline fractures the further they went. Dust streamed away from Amdirlain’s fist only to shimmer from existence, but no light showed through the plate itself.
“Want to change it to one matching the training yard now?” asked Amdirlain, her own surprise at the damage’s extent carefully restrained. While apparently ignoring the glance exchanged between Rinji and Chessa, she noted their assessing expressions.
“Know I will do so after I record the impression you left on the plate,” replied Tenzin, and shooed Amdirlain aside to get a clear view.
“Why didn’t you go full out with all the extra limbs?” asked Liranë sweetly.
“I’ll save that for this evening’s training,” retorted Amdirlain, and snorted at Liranë’s look of mock-fear.