Chapter Twenty-Eight: Future
“Again, you have my deepest gratitude, Elite Physician Dod,” Gina said with a bow as she turned and walked out of the clinic.
“I’ll return with her to the training! I already missed so much of it, ha ha,” Lacy said, following Gina.
“Yes…you do that,” Dod replied, not much of an actor but hopefully enough to fool Gina.
As the two women marched off to join the rest of the recruits in their jogging and Gina tested how well her ankle handled weight, an awkward air clung to Lacy.
‘She’s not fully convinced,’ she thought, trying not to purse her lips, as that’d make her look suspicious.
“You are acquainted with Overseer Autberry?” Gina suddenly asked.
“Umm, only since I got here!”
“And you have amnesia?”
“Yep!”
“And you were missing training to speak with Elite Physician Dod about your amnesia?”
“That’s right!”
‘She’s not buying it,’ Lacy thought again. ‘But I also don’t know what she suspects. Does she know I’m a spirit cultivator, or just think I’m receiving special treatment because I’m pretty and I might be from a powerful Yellowvine family, or something?’
Gina turned to look Lacy in the eye.
“That sounds ridiculous.”
Lacy pursed her lips.
“I know, but it’s the truth. I’m not having affairs with the training camp people. I don’t have any kind of background. I’m just a girl with amnesia who has great aura resistance…and wants to become a body cultivator.”
Gina shrugged and faced straight ahead again.
“I find that hard to believe, but inquiries into you have only provided similar responses from instructors and guards. Unless there is a rather large conspiracy afoot to keep your origins hidden, it is as you claim.”
Lacy nearly burst into a laugh. After all, there was a kind of conspiracy to keep her identity hidden, wasn’t there? It wasn’t that serious, though. Her fellow Yellowvine recruits kept her secret because they seemed to want Lacy to surprise the other recruits in the competitions. But everyone else, the guards and instructors who talked and told each other about her identity, were simply respecting her wishes. She was, after all, a spirit cultivator while they were merely body cultivators, so it made sense that they didn’t want to get on her bad side—not that they would be, if they yapped. One could argue that she had lower status in the sense that she wasn’t even yet employed and she was training as a guard recruit…but that kind of argument was ignorant at best.
She was a 1 in 10,000 spirit cultivator, or something like that. She didn’t have any official job, wealth, or even much power yet, but nobody could deny that she was set for life. If she didn’t take one of Yellowvine’s job offers, she could take one from the many powerful companies owned by aristocrats, or even go to another city for their offers. Even if she didn’t accept any positions at all she would still always, with time, be more powerful than the average body cultivator. They could only swing weapons, sling rocks, and shoot arrows. She could wield the very elements of the world in combat and was growing stronger by the day.
Of course, if she didn’t accept a job that offered spirit techniques she would never reach her true killing potential. Techniques made fighting much more efficient and effective—from what she’d been taught—and against skilled warriors who did wield their own martial techniques, she might not be able to kill them, if she didn’t just lose outright. But that wouldn’t be an issue, of course. She was officially talented in three different elements, which included the most valuable element: wood. There would be no end of job offers that came with techniques once she became a dual cultivator.
So of course the cultivators of the guard training camp treated her well. And she wouldn’t tell any of that to Gina, yet.
‘I feel like one of those romance webcomic protagonists, haha. I’m the girl nobody knows is rich until I reveal it to them.’
“Yeah,” Lacy said, “it’s as I claim. So…what about you? My friend, Shu, said that from the way you’re always surrounded by loyal men and your general…air, you’re a member of a cultivator family?”
Gina stiffened a smidge as they walked, but she answered quickly.
“I am. Many of my relatives are esteemed Slevote guards. I have so many hanger-ons because my father is a Captain.”
Gina glanced at Lacy as if looking for a reaction, before snorting.
“You truly are not aware of what a Captain is, are you? I believe your amnesia more by the second.”
“Haha, yeah…” Lacy said, trying not to sound awkward and probably failing.
“As a Captain, my father holds much authority. Those hanger-ons are sons of guards who will soon take orders from someone who takes orders from someone who takes orders from my father.”
“That makes sense. Does it get annoying to be treated like that?” Lacy asked, imagining how one day she’d be a woman of great importance with status that made others treat her differently.
“It is a privilege to be fathered by a Captain and treated as well as I,” Gina responded curtly.
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“I did, and that is the only answer you will get.”
Lacy paused, unsure of how to react.
“Okay… Um, so, I guess my next question… Is your Captain father a spirit cultivator?”
Gina hesitated again, but more strongly this time.
“… Why do you ask?”
“Shu wondered if that was the case because of your demeanor, but I guess having a high-ranking parent could do the same.”
Gina sighed softly.
“My mother was a spirit cultivator.”
Lacy internally kicked herself as she hid a grimace.
“Oh…I’m sorry.”
When Lacy glanced over, the other woman seemed tired, so she didn’t ask anything else.
But Gina did.
“There is nothing to apologize for. So…where do you see yourself in a year’s time after becoming a cultivator?”
Lacy couldn’t answer that question entirely honestly because it assumed she wasn’t already one.
“Defending my city from spirit beasts. Training my skills.”
It was as truthful a response as she could come up with because she couldn’t quite predict how her genius-level talents would change the course of her career as a Yellowvine guard. Back in Pole she’d come up with a rudimentary life trajectory:
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Train hard as a recruit; earn the right to become a guard and therefore a cultivator; train for a few months before becoming an active-duty guard who culled the local spirit beast populations; live life to the fullest with her newfound power and status; but also cultivate diligently in order to fulfill her patron Deity’s future Quests. Everything else was indeterminable.
“What of your life goals?” Gina clarified. “Do you seek to build a large, hale, and healthy family as a guard? What of power? Rank?”
“Uh, I seek power. I don’t have any plans to start a family and I don’t care much about career success. I…want to see how far I can go. How strong I can become.”
Gina stared at Lacy for an uncomfortably long moment before she smiled.
“I see. Such a response was what I hoped for, in all honesty. I have met women—and many men, for that matter—who see the world with a fundamentally different perspective than mine. Despite my best efforts I could not get along well enough with them to become true friends.”
……
The second inter-city competition arrived quickly. Spear and endurance training were slow but time spent practicing spirit arts and hanging out with her friends had flown by for Lacy.
Autberry gave a similar run-down and speech as the first time, then came the jogging competition. Lacy, Shu, Hoomar, and Rogen kept pace with each other at the front during their turn and chatted idly while they still had plenty of breath.
“Last time I only won a single of the four duels. Today I think I can win two…if I try really hard. Which I plan to, don’t get me wrong. I’m just…not that confident,” Lacy said.
“Our dear Lacy has my money! She wins two, today!” Shu exclaimed.
“I will not bet against Lacy,” Hoomar chuckled.
“You should not hold back,” Rogen insisted with a feral grin. Now that he’d spent more time with the trio he seemed more comfortable with being expressive. “Win all four duels. Then challenge everyone else, including some instructors. Your power should be bared for all to witness.”
Lacy laughed.
“Nah, I don’t think I will. I’m challenging myself to improve my martial skills. I have all the time in the world to practice my spirit arts, but as a dual cultivator, my martial arts will be almost as important.”
“You will have all the time you need to practice your martial skills later, as well,” Rogen countered. “But only while you are here will you receive cultivation resources for defeating your fellows in duels. Do not waste this opportunity!”
Lacy shrugged.
“That’s a good point, but I know that the rewards are less useful for dual cultivators because I asked Autberry about that, and I value the pressure to level up my spear skills more.”
Rogen shook his head in disappointment.
“Less valuable, but still valuable. It is your loss.”
“I hate to say it,” Shu chimed in, “but I…may agree with our vase-headed friend. He makes a quite valid argument for why you should hand everyone’s asses back to them.”
“Vase-headed?” Rogen asked, torn between a frown and a wry smile.
“Pretty, but dumb.”
“Shu, I will have you know…”
As Lacy shook her head and chuckled at the exchange, another recruit sped up to keep pace with their group, and the bickering died down.
“Well lookie here,” Shu said, her tone curious but defensive. Lacy had told her of their chance encounter at the clinic but not the details.
“Good morning,” Gina greeted blandly with a nod.
“Where’re your sycophants?” Shu asked.
Gina ignored the question, instead directing her attention to Lacy.
“I appreciated your company the other day and I wish you good luck in your duels.”
“Thank you, Gina, and I hope the same for you. That was very kind,” Lacy smiled. It felt good to have her kindness reciprocated.
“Oh, so now she understands what that means,” Shu snorted.
“Shu,” Lacy warned. “Unnecessary. Besides, you owe Hoomar five jans.”
The muscular woman’s eyebrows shot up.
“What?” She turned to Gina. “Are one of your parents a spirit cultivator?”
“My mother was.”
“Then he owes me!”
Hoomar’s deep baritone rumbled, “The lady said ‘was’.”
Lacy spoke up, telling Gina, “Shu bet that one of your parents is a spirit cultivator.”
Gina gave Shu a slight smirk.
“You owe the man five jans.”
“But…I’m right!”
“No. If the bet was worded such that my mother needs currently to be a spirit cultivator, then you were wrong. She was a spirit cultivator. Therefore, I do not have a spirit cultivator parent and you owe the man five jans.”
Shu sulked for the rest of the endurance contest, but when it came time for Lacy to duel, the large woman livened back up.
“Lacy, my Lacy,” she said with a strong pat on Lacy’s shoulder. “Whatever the results, you have a lifetime to practice.”
‘Not really. I bet I only have a few years, at most,’ Lacy thought to herself, thinking about what the Deity might command her to do, but outwardly said, “I appreciate that.”
Luck was not on Lacy’s side. During the last spear competition she had been matched against one guy who knew what he was doing and demolished her, two guys who weren’t as good as the first but still a good bit better than Lacy, and a fourth guy whom she defeated because he was huge and ran out of stamina. This time, three of her opponents were already extremely skilled while the fourth was just good enough to also beat her. Zero wins out of four.
By the time she finished all her duels, Lacy’s knuckles and lips were white as she struggled to contain her frustration. She had been so close to unleashing spirit arts in those fights. Despite knowing better, it just felt so unfair that she could be matched against guys with years more training than her. She understood that spear training wasn’t a game, but the irritation was just as bad, if not worse, than when she would get queued against smurfs in her ranked video game matches back on Earth.
‘Is this why some people install cheats?’
Hoomar patted Lacy’s shoulder as he said, “You will earn victories in the coming competitions. Use that anger to fuel your motivation to train further.”
Lacy huffed through her nose but nodded.
Soon Shu returned from her duels with a triumphant smile, which soon melted upon seeing Lacy’s expression. Before Shu could say anything Lacy put up a hand and schooled her face.
“Sorry, don’t let my losses bring you down, Shu. I’m happy you won all of yours.” Lacy took a deep breath before burying herself in Shu’s hug. “There. I feel better.”
“Awww, I love you, Lacy,” Shu cooed as she patted Lacy’s hair.
“I love you too, Shu.”
“I love you, three,” Hoomar grunted from the side, prompting laughs from Lacy and Shu.
But when the laughs naturally died down, Lacy was left confused.
‘That’s an English-only joke, right?’
Then she shook her head and focused on the present, remembering how this happened every once in a while. Her translation boon translated Hoomar’s joke into one with the same general context that she recognized.
“Anyway, it’s not a big deal. It sucks, but c’mon, they’re just duels,” Lacy sighed.
“A good, if difficult-to-maintain, mindset to possess,” Gina said from the side.
“My father taught me that victories in sparring bring respect, and respect is one of a guard’s most valuable resources. Thus, I do not like losing,” Rogen chimed in, causing Shu and Lacy to stare at him.
“That explains a lot,” Lacy chuckled.
“I see how you turned out this way,” Shu said dryly. “Perhaps your father is correct, but your—”
Lacy didn’t catch the rest of Shu’s sentence because every hair on her body suddenly stood on end. An aura like Lacy had never sensed swept across her and the entire training grounds. It was powerful, more so than even Autberry’s, but that wasn’t the biggest problem. Just from the aura’s feel, Lacy knew for sure that it didn’t belong to a person. A beast probably wasn’t here to chat.
At the same time that Lacy noticed the aura, all the other cultivators on the field did too. First they made shouts of exclamation, but almost immediately the instructors’ training kicked in and they began commanding the recruits, who were confused for several precious seconds until realization dawned on them. Without pushing or shoving, everyone made their ways to the bins full of spears previously used for dueling and armed themselves. Then came the orders to form ranks behind the instructors, who all ran to put themselves between the recruits and the sole beast that slowly prowled in their direction. It was hard to make out from such a distance, but Lacy recognized a feline form and shaggy mane of fur.
A Sapling-realm lion, and a very clearly confident one, at that.
Lacy never missed Mai Mosa more.
A hand gripped Lacy’s arm from the left, then another hand grabbed her right arm, pulling her backwards because she hadn’t taken a single step since the recruits had been ordered to make formations.
Lacy shook off the well-intentioned hands of her friends even as her legs trembled and her breaths quickened.
“No,” she tried saying firmly, though her voice still came out in a squeak. “You know that I can’t hide in the back with you guys.”
“Don’t be stupid!” Shu admonished as she latched on again and pulled her harder. “You’ve not even trained two months!”
The spirit cultivator couldn’t help but release a nervous chuckle before saying in almost a whisper, “That…doesn’t matter.”
“LACY!” Hoomar’s booming voice shook both women, and Lacy flipped her head around to see genuine anger in the big man’s eyes. “I WILL NOT WATCH YOU THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY!”
She opened her mouth to reply but couldn’t gather the words, not just because her friends were yanking her to safety, but also…she couldn’t tell them the truth.
‘I have to be strong. The Deity warned me that I would amount to nothing if I didn’t accept my life would be in danger.’
Lacy understood that there was little a single early spirit cultivator could do in the battle that was about to unfold and that she could die today, unable to reach her true potential because she had let the little bit of power she’d earned go to her head… Yet, she was kind of a protagonist, wasn’t she? The Deity all but told her this exact scenario would play out again and again, and that it was up to her to rise to the occasions or retreat, never to gain anything. If she didn’t commit here, when dozens of other cultivators were also committing their skills, training, and lives…would she ever be able to?
Instead of verbalizing any of that, Lacy’s aura flared to life, took hold of ambient qi, then merged it with earth qi beneath their feet. The dirt all around surged up to stop her two best friends in place, coating not just their feet but also their legs all the way up to their lower backs or else they’d have fallen in their struggles against it. Lacy could have suppressed them with her aura itself but felt that would be too much.
“I’m sorry, but let go of me.”
“You—!”
“LACY—!”
“Please don’t make me make you. The fighting can start any second.”
It pained Lacy to see her friends so rightfully upset with her, but she pushed those messy feelings down and shook off their hands once again.
“I love you guys,” the young spirit cultivator said before releasing her friends of the dirt coatings and marching to the front line.