Teng put his hands on his knees behind a large rock within the mountain pass, breathing heavily as he slid down against its rough, cold surface. He had yet to see any pursuer come up the mountain, but that did not mean he was safe. Teng looked down at the sleeping guardian, the paragon bone, where he'd put it down. It was a yellowish structure of bone, broken in half, similar to the rib cage of an animal more prominent than a tiger. To think a piece of bone like you is worth so much.

The young man smiled. He could already imagine the villagers' faces as he returned with the bone. His mother's and father's proud faces. The surprise of the elders' who he had proved wrong. And most of all – the joy and shock on Delia's face as he returned with their village's sacred treasure. He hoped Bai would see it too; the man had been reclusive and dour since his brother's death. Perhaps this could cheer him up, showing him he hadn't made the wrong decision those years ago.

You're not home yet! Teng shook his head and rose, his lungs under control again. He had left his fighting stick with Merakk to more easily carry the bone, so if the outsiders found or caught up to him, he was as good as dead. He used the impressions of the wind to try and see if there was anything behind him but could feel nothing. Then again, his senses needed to stretch farther to reach the plain from here.

Just as he was about to start running, he felt a hand on his shoulder and tensed, his eyes widening, a shiver going from his back to his neck like trapped lightning. Then he heard familiar laughter and turned to see the old man sit on the boulder behind him, eyes alight with mirth.

"Did you have to do that?" Teng asked as he breathed out in relief.

Merakk jumped down from the rock and landed before the sleeping guardian. He crouched down before it and cupped his chin. Teng thought about why the old man didn't have a beard. There was only a short stubble. Only the wrinkles in his face bellied his old age.

"You didn't shit yourself, did you?" Merakk asked in return as he drew his hand across the surface of the bone. Before Teng could reply, the old man sucked his teeth. "Sorry, Laddie, I have bad news for you."

“Are they coming?” Teng immersed himself in the wind but didn't feel any presence.

Merakk waved him away. "I speak of the bone; its essence is soon depleted. Maybe fifty years or so before the warding effect will cease."

“Warding effect?"

"How long it will stop beasts from coming close to it."

Teng raised his eyes. Fifty years was a long time. Then he furrowed them. Fifty years was long, but what would his village do after that?

"Can we replenish its essence?" he asked.

"You can't replenish the essence of a paragon bone, Laddie," Merakk explained as he got to his feet. He stared at Teng intensely. "You get another one or be without."

"So, how do I get a new one?" Teng pressed.

Merak laughed. "Isn't that the question?”

"Merakk, please." the young man said earnestly. "My village will be destroyed without it."

"Fine." the old man sighed. “You have three options. The first is to kill a paragon and take one of their bones. The larger, the better. I would say that is the femur."

Teng remembered being unable to even budge the blue bird as he tried to twist its neck, and that was supposed to be primordial, a step below paragon. So, this option was out of the question.

"And the second one?”

Merakk grinned. "The second one is to steal it. But I doubt that's what you want to do, even if you did a good job right now."

Teng shook his head.

"The last option is to buy or barter for it," Merakk said. "Go out to the outside world and collect things of value. Hides, skins, bones, preserved meats. Weapons or things made from powerful beasts. Then, find someone willing to part with a paragon bone. I suppose you don't know what buying is?"

Teng shook his head again.

Merakk explained the principles of buying and selling, then said. "You can buy a paragon bone by selling your service to different tribes. Fight for them, hunt for them, and do things they need to be done. It is something many cultivators do. Then again, you would need to be a very powerful cultivator for them to value your service enough to warrant a paragon bone."

Teng deliberated for a moment. "So," he said, "It all comes down to cultivation. To acquire things of value, I need to be strong enough to get them. To buy a paragon bone with my service, I need to be strong enough to be worth it. And I won't steal it from someone… so my only choice is to become a strong cultivator?"

"Sorry to break it to you, Laddie, but you do, yes. You can also find one in the wild, which is almost unheard of today. You're better off enjoying your life before the beasts come for you in the village."

"I see,” Teng said. "I'll have to think about it. Thank you for all your help."

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"Slow down," Merakk said just as Teng was about to leave.

Teng looked at him. "What?"

"We're at the edge of the world," Merakk stated. "There are beasts who can rip you apart as easily as breathing between you and tribes that possess bones they are willing to part with. My tribe has a few; if you become powerful enough and do things for the tribe, you might earn one. How about this? I'll accompany you to the village, and you'll think about what you want to do. If you decide to come with me in the morning, I'll take you."

Teng stared at the old man. He had a feeling the old man wanted something from him; why else would he help him? But this was not what he had expected. Nonetheless, he needed time to think, and it was only right that this old man came back with him to the village, at least ate with them, and was thanked for helping them get back the bone.

So he nodded, and the two began walking.

"Ah– What about the outsiders?"

"Cultivation is power, Laddie. I told them they would have to fight me if they sought to retake the bone. Think of it as a reward for giving me a good show with the fire."

----------------------------------------

When they returned to the village, Merakk was met with hostility but took it in good stride. After Teng explained how the old man had helped him regain the bone and even made the outsiders turn back, the villagers calmed down. Teng introduced Merakk to his closest friends, his family, and Delia. They were suspicious but not rude, and the old man joined them all for the daily ritual that evening, though Teng could spot some amusement in his eyes as Elder Deng spoke about honoring the spirits. He was given a place to sleep in an empty hut with the promise to leave the next day while Teng returned with his family.

“You foolish child.” His mother scolded, though her face didn't show anger. She hugged him then and held him tight. "But you did well. Very well."

His father grasped Teng's forearm and nodded. “Well done, Teng."

Teng sat thinking as they sat together by the fire and spoke as the fire glowed hot, then dimmed. When the wood was but embers, he knew what his choice was.

"Mother, father," he said, receiving their attention. “The sleeping guardian won't last long.”

His father furrowed his brows. “What are you talking about?”

"What is it, Teng?" his mother echoed his father.

“Merakk told me," Teng replied, his eyes on the fire. "It won't last longer than my lifetime. The only way to get a new one is to become a cultivator.”

His father sighed. "Cultivation is a dangerous road."

“You know what it is?”

"We have spoken to outsiders in the past." the man told him. "But our valley is safe from the dangers of the outside world. We have no need to cultivate."

“Until now," Teng said softly.

His father nodded. “Until now.”

“I will accompany him to his tribe and become a cultivator," Teng stated, looking up at his parents. "I will get a new sleeping guardian for us."

"Out of the question." His mother firmly refused.

Teng and his father stared at each other for a long time until the man nodded and turned to his wife. "He isn't a child anymore; his mind is made up."

"You will allow this, Tang?" His mother raised her voice and almost shouted. "Your own son? What are–"

"Siora." His father placed a hand on her shoulder.

His mother cried a little, then dried her tears and hugged Teng.

"Be careful, Teng," she said, cupping his face. "I don't trust the old man. He is an outsider. He must have some motive for bringing you. I can smell it."

Teng nodded and hugged his mother again. "I will, Mother.

"I'm sorry, speak to Delia before you leave." she continued. "Alright?"

He nodded, unsure why his mother would tell be sorry for that. It had been his biggest concern regarding the decision. There was no telling how long he'd be gone or when and if he'd return.

The night passed uneventfully, and Teng met with the old man in the morning. After telling him he'd come with him, he went to speak with Delia. She sat by the creek where they spent so much time together.

"Teng," she said, a smile tugging at her lips, but died when she saw his facial expressions. “What is it?”

Teng took a deep breath, dreading the next words he would say. Yet, he knew he would have to tell her because today was the day he was leaving.

"The sleeping guardian will not work forever. Merakk has told me it is a powerful beast's bone," he said. "For our village to truly be safe, someone must search for a new one."

"Teng.” Delia stood and walked over to him. “What are you saying?”

"I must be that one," he answered. "Merakk will take me to his tribe, where I might be able to get us a new one. I don't know how long I'll be gone. It might be years.”

“But Teng…” Delia's eyes were wet as she looked at him. "We're supposed to…”

“Supposed to what?”

"We are going to marry." the young girl said softly.

“What?"

"My mother and your mother agreed to this long ago. Why do you think you were working with us girls all that time ago. I asked my mother if I could get to know you first. We were to be married next year when your training as a hunter was finished. You can't be going.”

Teng stretched his hand, but Delia stepped back again.

Delia clenched her fists by her side. "No, I can't wait for you. Who knows how long you'll be gone. Make someone else do it.”

“Delia, I'm sorry.” Teng felt tears roll down his cheek.

There was a moment of silence before Delia walked up to him and slapped his face.

“Delia I–”

"Go then," she shouted, tears falling down her face, breath ragged. "Go if you want to leave the village. Go if you want me to marry another man."

"I must do this," he said, feeling his heart shatter. “For the village. For you. For everyone. You must understand me, Delia."

Delia shook her head, trembled, and ran from him. He tried to reach out, but she evaded him.

Teng dried his tears and returned to the village where Delia lived with her family. He knocked on the hut, hearing cries from inside. Delia's mother opened the flap, shook her head, and closed it. He stood outside, his mind numb and feet unable to move. Delia's father came out.

"Please, let me speak to Delia," Teng told the burly man.

The man shook his head. "You've made your choice, boy. She has made hers.”

Teng watched the man for a while and saw that he wouldn't budge, his shoulders tense and back straight.

"I know why, Teng, your father told us." The man said, anger flashing in his eyes. "But if you don't leave here right now, I will take my fighting stick and put it through you."

Teng left soon after. He said goodbye to his mother and father, not having the energy to be angry at them for not telling him. Teng would have liked to scream at the sky, shout at the spirit of why they did this to him. Ask them why duty and love could not go hand in hand. Tell them what cruel things they were for making him do this. But he did not. There was no use. By swearing to do whatever was needed to protect the village, he had done this to himself.

So, he, instead, packed his things and told Merakk he was ready to leave. Then they walked out of the village together, from where they had walked in yesterday. It would likely be many years until he came back. Pretty, kind, tender Delia, who he had come to love, would be with another man. His parents might be dead. The village might be attacked by other outsiders. His friends would forget all about him.

But he would not forget them.

He would remember his purpose in leaving.

He would return with a paragon bone.