The Celestial Forge
By: Schin Ka’Tharos
CHAPTER 12
(Part 1)
Releasing and accepting are the arts of the wise.
~
“Is it not enough to want to end another's suffering?” Ciara replied.
I didn't respond. My eyes remained fixed upon her as I tried to read her. She met my gaze and seemed to search me in turn, trying to pull the knowledge she sought from my eyes.
“Look, we've seen enough death. When we came across you it seemed like a chance to tilt the scales the opposite way. Plus, as I’m sure you noticed, we’ve had a tough go of it ourselves recently and are somewhat…lost-”
“In more ways than one.” Her brother added half under his breath while digging through some of their supplies.
She flashed an annoyed glance in his direction and continued. “We saw you crash. Although at the time we didn’t realize what it…you were . When we found you it gave us a focus. A purpose or task. Things have been thrown into a bit of chaos for us and we’re muddling through a few things. But, when presented with a chance to aid another in extreme suffering we help. This is the Path we walk.”
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
“You seem to speak the truth.” I said after a few moments. “However, this all seems very strange for members of the Seekers Guild. You’re not what I expected at the very least.”
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at my comment and then lifted in recognition.
“Ah you mean this.” She said looking down at the emblem on her breastplate. The closed eye at the center of the symbol seemed to somehow stare at me. “We’re not really members. More like…affiliated. It’s complicated.”
I waited for more explanation but nothing else followed. By this point though the pain in my soul was becoming unbearable and any objections and questions I had seemed trivial compared to the opportunity to stop whatever was going on inside me.
“Your kindness is appreciated.” I held out my hand to accept the five Rendings. My arm trembled from the strain of this simple movement. “I am fortunate for the Path you walk and I am humbled to accept your help.”
Both Ciara and Adeon left me alone as I settled in to Soulforge the Rendings. They said they would stand guard while I completed the process and then moved out of my sight. Despite their caution they had indicated that they didn't expect any problems as they had not sensed any creatures in the area over the days spent there and the amount of celestial essence I was going to consume would be so minuscule that the signal it would emit would be extremely weak.
I calmed myself in a brief meditation before activating my Natural Flame and delving into my soulcore in an attempt to Soulforge again. Since awakening I had not been able to truly Soulforge. My soulforging was muddled and disjointed as if none of my five flowlines were opened. It reminded me of my youth before I had opened my first flowline and created the outer shell to my soulcore and stepped into the stage of 1st Apprentice. I realized I couldn't detect any of the five flowlines. I had achieved 5th Apprentice through my grandfather's gift so all of my flowlines should have been opened.
I was faced with the reality that somehow I had regressed and was now not even at the first stage of Apprentice. Technically I was no longer a Forger at all. I decided I needed to approach consuming the celestial manna in the Rendings as if I was a new cultivator just starting my Path as a Forger. I needed to reach the 1st Apprentice and start my journey as a Forger from the beginning. Again.
NEXT CHAPTER...
Chapter 12: (Part2)