“So,” said Narvari, gazing at the long line of concrete blocks, “what are those for?”

The concrete blocks stood as tall as Narvari and were the thickness of three sumo wrestlers. Narvari brushed her fingers against its cold, smooth surface. What could today’s lesson be about? She thought.

“We’ve learned about sacros and how to use it to boost your overall speed and strength,” Trixan dived into the lesson. “You also know that sacros is the sacred energy that powers your savaz. These are the two basic functions of sacros. But, the difference between an average vanquisher and a powerful vanquisher lies in mastering a key concept in vanquishing.” Trixan paused. “Once you grasp this concept, my dear, it will be safe to say that you have mastered sacred combat.”

Narvari nodded. “Okay. So what’s this concept?”

“Fortification,” said Trixan. “It’s something you are already familiar with at the basic level.”

Narvari narrowed her eyes, rubbing her chin. “I am?” She tried to think. Maybe it was best to break down the word fortification. “To fortify means to strengthen.”

“Indeed, my dear. And how does that apply to you as a vanquisher?”

Narvari paused thoughtfully. “Releasing sacros makes my body stronger. It’s like I have superhuman strength or something.”

“It is exactly like that, my dear.” Trixan nodded. “That’s what fortification is basically about. At the advanced level, fortification is about strengthening your body or an object either for defense or attack.” Trixan nodded at one of the gray concrete blocks. “Can you punch a hole through one of these with your bare hands? No sacros.”

Narvari gawked at Trixan. “Seriously?”

“Of course, my dear”

Narvari stared at her balled fists then glanced back at the thick slabs of concrete. “I don’t know. Maybe I can. But I feel like I will end up breaking every bone in my arm if I did.” She might be physically stronger than before, but she still had her limit without sacred energy.

“Of course, you will, my dear.”

Narvari gaped. “So why ask?”

“I just wanted to see the look on your face.” Trixan chuckled. “Now, what if you wield your sacros? Do you think you can do it, my dear?”

Narvari scoffed. “I know I can.

“Good. Do it.”

Instantly, Narvari’s black and red sacros surged out of her, engulfing her entire body. Not wasting time, she balled her right fist and smashed through a block. A large deep depression opened in the concrete as chipped blocks scattered everywhere.

“Not bad.”

Narvari gazed at Trixan. The Elder didn’t look impressed. “Not bad? That was amazing.”

“Not quite, my dear. That was not powerful enough.”

Narvari opened her mouth, speechless. She looked at her fist, then glanced at the massive hole she had made inside the concrete block. How was that not powerful enough?

Trixan said, “I’m not talking about your strength per se, my dear. I’m talking about the effect of sacros around your body not being powerful enough.”

“I don’t understand.” Narvari folded her arms. “Isn’t sacros supposed to make my body powerful?”

“Relatively speaking, yes. But simply wielding your sacros over your entire body does not produce the maximum effect. In fact, the greatest power of sacros is released using savaz. Try taking down one of the blocks with your savaz instead.”

Ushama.

Narvari’s dual-savaz appeared. She aimed both of her savaz at another concrete block and fired. A gust of dust filled the air as rubble rained. When the dust cleared, Narvari saw to her utmost shock that the incredibly thick concrete had been shattered into dust. Nothing was left standing. Her punch was nothing compared to what her savaz had done. Comparing her punch to her savaz was like comparing a bow and arrow to a nuclear bomb.

“Damn.”

“Now that is powerful, isn’t it, my dear?”

Narvari nodded, not taking her eyes off the heap of dust.

“Normally, you can simply vanquish demons weaker than you with a mere blast of your savaz,” said Trixan. “You will usually not have to engage in an intense battle with them therefore you won’t have to worry about your speed or defense. If you are lucky and have a higher form sacred energy like elema, you can vanquish the demon even if your savaz is weaker. But what happens when you have a weaker savaz and no elema, my dear?” Trixan tilted her head as if waiting to let her words sink in. “You can’t simply rely on your savaz now, can you?”

Narvari shook her head. “No.”

“No, you can’t, my dear.” Trixan nodded. “You may stand a chance if you face the demon head-on with maximum speed and strength while wielding your savaz. The problem is that without full union you cannot wield your sacros and savaz at the same time. And if you cannot wield your sacros — ”

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“You have no super-speed or super-strength,” Narvari completed the sentence.

“Exactly that, my dear,” said Trixan. “You will be dead before you know it.”

Narvari gulped. She didn’t have elema and all she had was a fifth-order savaz. How was she supposed to vanquish demons higher than fifth-order? “So what do I do then?”

Trixan smiled. “What you need is balance, my dear.”

“Balance?”

Trixan nodded. “To do that, you need to effectively forge a union between savaz and sacros.”

Narvari frowned. “But I thought without full union you can’t use savaz and sacros at the same time.”

“The key term here is effective forgery, my dear,” said Trixan. “The union is by no means real. Instead, you forge something that looks like it. That’s where the concept of fortification applies. Fortification lets a relatively weaker vanquisher overpower a stronger demon by using sacred body.”

Sacred body? How many sacred things do I have to keep up with? Narvari shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m having a hard time understanding today’s lesson. I feel like we’re talking about so many things at once.”

“I’m sorry about that, my dear. But they are all related. I will break it down for you.” Trixan paced slowly. Finally, she halted. “Boosting your body’s strength and power with sacred energy is fortification. You understand this, do you not, my dear?”

Narvari nodded. “Yes.”

“Good. Now fortifying a specific part of your body turns it into a sacred body.”

“Okay.” Narvari nodded. “A fortified body is a sacred body. Got it.”

“Excellent. I mentioned achieving balance as a result of a forged union. Did I not, my dear?”

“You did.”

“Good.” Trixan nodded. “All you need to understand is that sacred body is simply that forged union. What I mean is that with sacred body you can maintain your superior speed and strength. In addition, you also have power almost as destructive as savaz. It’s a perfect balance.”

Narvari nodded slowly.

“You will understand this better with a demonstration. Now watch this carefully.”

Narvari quietly watched Trixan as the Elder stood at ease, her green eyes instantly sharpening with focus. Narvari’s heart raced with excitement. Was Trixan about to do what she was thinking? Ever since they started training, not once had she seen Trixan release her sacred energy or savaz. Trixan did say she always wielded her sacred energy but Narvari never understood what that meant. Maybe she would understand it today.

She waited in anticipation, her eyes not leaving the Elder. Suddenly, a mighty gust of silver sacros gushed out of Trixan’s body like a wildfire of silver flames. Narvari’s eyes widened in awe. Incredible.

“Sacred body occurs on three parts of the body,” said Trixan.

Slowly, the silver sacros around Trixan’s body grew smaller and smaller, dimmer and dimmer. However, the sacros around her fists got denser and brighter. Eventually, there was no sacros around Trixan’s body — they were only around her fists like boxing gloves fabricated from silver flames.

Trixan balled her fists. “Sacred fists.” Silver sacros appeared around each of Trixan’s legs. “Sacred feet.” Narvari watched in awe as the silver sacros burned around Trixan’s hands and legs. This was the same move she had seen Pheera use against the wraith lord even when she didn’t use savaz. Things were starting to make more sense. “The power behind sacred feet and fists produces incredible firepower almost close to savaz. At the same time, you get to maintain your speed and strength.”

Narvari nodded. “And the third sacred body?”

Trixan smiled. Narvari watched Trixan closely as the silver sacros burned around her eyes like her eyes were on fire. Silver fire.

“Sacred vision, my dear.”

Sacred vision? Narvari raised a brow. Wasn’t this the same thing Pheera had mentioned during their tour? She remembered now. When Narvari could not see the shield rays Pheera talked about, she said one could only see it while they had sacred vision.

“With sacred vision, my dear” Trixan interrupted her thoughts, “you see things your naked eyes simply cannot see. Using sacred fists, sacred feet, and sacred vision simultaneously is called Trinity. In summary, my dear, Trinity is the application of fortification. Without the other forms of sacred energy, Trinity can make all the difference in overpowering a demon whose order is higher than your savaz.”

No wonder Trixan said vanquishers didn’t only depend on their savaz, Narvari thought.

“Okay, my dear. Now try using Trinity. Do it one sacred body at a time. With more practice, you can do it simultaneously.”

Narvari nodded. She closed her eyes, imagining the warm sensation of her sacros around her fists. This time, instead of her sacros emerging out of her entire body, it only came out of her hands. It was like her palms had been set ablaze by black and red flames. But instead of burning her, they simply warmed her hands.

“Good.” Trixan nodded. “Now do sacred feet and sacred vision.”

With more concentration, Narvari soon got her sacros around her feet. Next, she did it to her eyes.

“Destroy one of the blocks with your sacred fist.”

Narvari targeted a concrete block and punched hard into it. The entire slab of concrete blew off into several large chunks, shards of blocks flying everywhere.

“Jesus.” Narvari stared at her sacred fists. She could feel the difference between the power flowing within her fists right now compared to the power she felt when she only wielded her sacros over her entire body. It was the difference between a pond and an ocean. “This is insane.”

Her sacred fist may not have produced a dramatic effect like her savaz, but it surely was more powerful than simply wielding her sacros around her body. She looked at all three blocks she had shattered. It was like three different people of different strengths had done it. Yet, she knew she was the same person who had done so.

“Narvari.”

She turned to glance at the woman. Trixan’s Trinity had vanished. But there was something strange around her. Her entire body, from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet, was shrouded in a layer of silver energy, clinging to her body like a second skin.

Trixan grinned. “So you see it now, don’t you, my dear?”

Narvari gaped. Was she seeing this now because of her sacred vision? Did Trixan have this around her body the whole time? Forever. Narvari’s eyes widened. “Trixan, is this what you meant when you said you have your sacros around you permanently?”

Trixan chuckled. “Yes, my dear. But I never said it was sacros. I merely said it was sacred energy.”

“Oh, is it elema?”

“It’s union, my dear. The third and most powerful form of sacred energy. You couldn’t see it before because I manipulated it to be invisible to the naked eye. But sacred vision can easily see through anything. With it, you can even see through the disguise of demons as well as their weak points.”

Narvari turned off her Trinity. In that same instant, the energy shrouded around Trixan’s body disappeared. Once she turned on her sacred vision, the energy reappeared. Amazing.

“Class is over, my dear.”

“Wait, what?”

Their class could usually span for several hours but not even two hours had passed since they started today.

“Trinity is all we needed to learn today. The rest is up to you to practice.”

“Oh. So does it mean I’m ready for the Finals?”

“No, my dear. We’ll meet in two days for our last class. Make sure you practice Trinity until then.”

“Right. Can you at least tell me what our next class is about?”

Trixan smiled. “You will see, my dear. You will see.” Gosh, this woman was plotting something. Narvari just knew it.