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Dargo
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Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Government: Republic of Hekat
System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Agora City, Facility below the Colosseum, Floor 16
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As I walk among those I have marked, telling them their deficiencies, I notice the boy’s wounded pride as I purposefully do not instruct him. A bad trait, being guided by pride. I wonder if he can rise above it. My eyes catch his hunter number, H777.
These warriors are more skilled than I initially thought they would be, the harshness of the Republic’s treatment, a veritable anvil that has forged them stronger. However, I see little hope inside their souls, the torments have stripped it almost bare. It is a shame they march to the absolution of a death they do not choose. Regrets fill me again as I think on the past. How many have I seen doing the same, I press the thoughts away, dwelling on it will not change anything.
***
I am surprised by the resilience of the souls of the Kuwathi warriors that follow behind me as we run circles around the training grounds, climbing the many steps of the stadium. All of them brim with potential, even the lowest among them. I take note of each of their abilities, if I am to train them, I must see the extent of their will. I see the boy from before again, near the front of the pack. There is determination in him, his soul swirls much in the same way as Akaria, just like her however it is held back by the inconsistency of emotions that flow within. If he is to improve, he will need to learn to do more than hide it on the surface.
As the hours pass, one of them remain. The boy H777, Kale as they call him, his grit continues to impress me. I will have to increase the pace to finish this in a timely fashion. It does not serve the rest to dawdle, the time I have to reshape them before the first challenge is limited.
“Vitar.” The man they call Nekam yells to the boy.
An old Kuwathi battle cry that means – Strength of Will. Hearing it now brings back fond memories of my old apprentice and friend Amon, he would say it frequently to his soldiers and disciples. Thinking of the memory fondly, a grin finds my face as I turn to look upon the boy named Kale.
This boy has potential, if he were born among the Noble Houses, I shudder to think what a monster he could have become. Alas he was not, yet another who will be swept away by the fates cruel designs. All I can do is try to guide him.
The boy pushes harder, his soul thrashes with determination, reminding me of Amon when he was younger. It causes me to laugh, the boy’s soul begins to grow, anger and rage swirling in the determination, being pushed by the instability of pride. I will do him a service and show him pride cannot hold the weight that he wishes it to.
My pace erupts as I release a small fraction of what I have suppressed. The boy lags behind, soon I lap him, marking him in red. While his ability was above the others, his pride holds him back. I will break it, allowing something else to grow from the ashes. Something that may serve him better. It is why I will push him more than the others. I made the mistake of not addressing pride before, my mood sours once more as I press back the memories.
***
The others marked in red have finished their extra laps, the boy has not. I look out among the crowd of silent bodies as they try to find inner peace, looking within themselves. It surprises me to see the calm from some of them, a young woman the others have called Korra seems to have a grasp of the lesson I taught. I feel her soul becoming malleable, Nekam and his son he calls Neeba do as well. It is strange that his daughter Nevari seems to be struggling, she does not lack potential, but her soul is clouded with worry. There is something else buried deeper, the flickers of love, tarnished by adversity, smothered by her worries. My mind’s eye drifts to the boy who comes now, finally joining us. I am curious to see what depths his soul will explore without the instructions I gave the others.
As he meditates I look at his soul with my mind’s eye. I see pain, horror and a weight upon it that would crush most. He carries it all, all of the pain and sorrow in the world around him, as though it is his burden to bear. Seeing it saddens my heart, almost surprising me. Then a change begins to stir in him, I cannot see where it comes from, but it swells inside of him. Lifting the darkness up from him, filling him with light.
My eyes open to look at him, the force of his soul is swelling. I have seen it before, he has been blessed. Though I cannot see what the blessing is yet. Is he the spark bearer? If so, why can I not see it clearly like the thousands before him. My Goddess has been meddling again I see. I recognize now the waves of light that radiate from the blessing. Letting out a sigh I stand up, it will not serve him to rely on a Goddess, he must reach the boundaries himself, lest his foundation become weak. I will not make the mistake again of letting those I train rely on strength that is not their own.
“That’s enough, now we train. Pair up with those of your marking and wait for instruction.”
The room begins to pair up with their combat markings. I study their movements, giving them advice as I pass. Those that take to it willingly improve rapidly, so much potential among these people.
“It would appear the seed does not wish to sprout.” I say to Kale as I approach him and Nekam sparring.
His pride comes strangling his potential, I will have to push harder to break it.
Moving towards Nekam I show him how to improve, he takes to it quickly, practicing the move. The boy’s soul flashes with jealousy when I do not instruct him. It is only a moment, as the pride comes, strangling his soul’s potential once more.
“Thank you, my Keeper.” Nekam says.
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Their next exchange leaves the boy on the floor.
“Ready to give up?” I ask him, stabbing his pride. It must die for him to rise.
“No.” he says, fire in his breath.
He is close to the precipice of change now, I can feel it. He will not be able to find it fighting someone he holds respect for.
“Change partners.” I say.
I move away, but my mind’s eye still follows the boy as he pairs up with a man I have heard called Daki by his brother Maki. Both of their names brought a smile to my face when I heard them, Little Demon and Big Demon. They fought well, lasting longer than most. He will make a suitable partner for the boy.
They exchange blows, there is frustration in both of their souls as they fight. Daki does not want to accept Kale’s blows. I feel it brimming now, the pride and rage in him. The boy takes the advantage now, pressing him, Daki tries to use his size to change the dynamic but fails. Daki is upon the floor now, the boy striking his face again and again. Nekam rushes over, pulling him off. The boy struggles, his soul becoming dark, the weight he carries breaking the pride that seeks to hold it.
Nekam calms him now, speaking to him, like a father to his son. There is a bond between them that goes past blood. The boy falls to his knees looking at his bloodied hands. As shame fills him, he begins to see what rage purchased with pride brings. Soon he must accept he cannot shoulder the world’s pain. I stand over him and mark him slowly in red, cutting at the pride that lingers deeper.
***
A few days later as night comes, the warriors all leave for their bunks after I dismiss them, save one that lingers still, Nekam. He approaches me, there is inflection in the calm I normally feel in his soul.
“Speak your mind.” I say to him, folding my arms.
“My keeper, it is about H777 as you know him.” He begins.
“Kale.” I say, his eyes fill with surprise.
“I did not realize you knew his name.”
“I know all the names of those who show promise – Nekam.” I say, giving him a light smile.
His soul ripples with a small wave of pride, but it soon falls back. He is mindful of his emotions, not just on the surface, I was not wrong to take interest in him.
“My Keeper, that means you see promise in him – I don’t understand why you treat him unfairly, he was clearly the best on both challenges.” He says, his eyes meeting mine.
“Perhaps he was on the surface, but looking beneath it, he could have done better. His emotions control him too much, there must be balance.”
“I understand that My Keeper, but…” he begins, I hold up a hand.
“You see him as a father sees a son.” I say, he nods slowly before I continue “Then you know well his failings.”
“I do.” He admits.
There is light turmoil in the surface of his soul, recent events have taken their toll on him no doubt.
“I understand, My Keeper.” He says giving me a bow, turning away towards his sleeping quarters.
As he leaves, and I see the turmoil on his soul, I am reminded of my relationship with Amon, before the fall. Before my Goddess pushed him, my mind pushes back the memories.
“He is lucky to have had you. You have done well raising him.” I say.
Nekam pauses for a moment before continuing onwards. Letting out a sigh, I venture upwards on the raising platform towards my own quarters. Wondering if my Goddess will show herself. She has been very quiet again as of late.
***
Night before the Grand Hunt’s First Challenge
***
“Hunters, you are permitted to sleep. Rest well, tomorrow it begins.” I say to the Kuwathi warriors gathered, they have all improved greatly in the last week. As they all begin to leave, I find Kale’s attention and motion for him to come to me.
There are words I must say, lest regret follow. After the others leave, I speak.
“Have you figured it out?” I ask him.
“Figured out what Keeper?” he asks me, I can feel in his soul that he has grasped a little of what I have said.
“Why I push you more than the rest.”
“I have not. Keeper.”
“Because within you, I see potential ready to burst forth.” I say, now walking in a circle around him, with arms crossed “It is trapped, held down by the distilled pain you carry for things you cannot control.”
He says nothing, but his soul does not turn from my words.
“You are not a god, you are a man. A man need only feel the pain of what he can control, or else the madness will consume him.”
Pride lashes out in him, bringing in swirls of negative emotions.
“You must crawl through the darkness to find the light if you wish to bloom.”
I jump to the pedestal in the center of the room, it rises towards my quarters.
“Do not die tomorrow, I will feel very foolish if you do.” I say with a grin. Whether he listens to my words will be his decision. Only time will show the results.
Letting out a sigh, I step off the pedestal once it reaches my quarters, I give a bow to the statue of my Goddess, though the likeness does not do her justice. My eyes glancing at the weapons adorning the walls, remembering their former wielders fondly. I carry their dreams now. After all these years, I have not forgotten them, nor their sacrifices.
As I pour myself a cup of tea, I feel a familiar presence entering my perception. My mouth hazards a grin as I pour another cup. My Goddess appearing before me, sitting across the table.
“You’re just in time for tea.”
She gives me a smile and pretends to blow on it, as though it were too hot. It brings happiness to my heart that she still has not lost her sense of humor, we have seen much together, she and I.
You have taken an interest in some of them I noticed
I sip from my tea, waiting for what comes. We have done this dance before, many times. Finally she speaks her true intent.
What did you make of the Spark Bearer?
Putting down my teacup, I say with an eyebrow raise “I assume you mean the boy that you’ve blessed?”
She nods, putting her head in her hands, her fangs slightly coming over her lips.
“I did not feel the spark in him. Perhaps you were mistaken.”
I have seen it with my own eyes, when he touched Fate’s Prison there was a reaction
A smile envelops her face as she stares back at me, I pick up my teacup and sip from it for a moment before speaking.
“Fate’s Prison reacts to any foolish enough to give it their blood.” I say, I already know where she leads the conversation, but I will humor her, everything that I am, I owe to her.
It was more than that, I felt the one that slumbers deep within stirring
“If the Nine before him did not stir her from her slumber, what makes you think this one will be any different?” I ask, sipping from my cup, trying hard to not roll my eyes. She felt what she wanted to feel, not reality.
That which could be—will always seek—That which will be
“Still holding out hope for that old prophecy,” I chuckle “you never learn, my Goddess. It is not real; Fate’s seal cannot be broken.”
You always were a cynic; I see little has changed after all these years
“How many will this make? Thousands of promising souls, only Nine capable of even retaining some of their faculties, yet you think this one has a chance. Forgive me Goddess, but I do not see the wisdom in it.” I say, my mood souring “He has not even approached the first boundary, yet you wish to see him crushed by forces he cannot even comprehend?”
I know she is much wiser than me, but I also know after many years with her that she is often led astray by hope. Countless times she has led me down this path, and countless times it has ended in the same place. Bringing me sorrowful memories I wish I did not have.
There is something different about him, open your eyes you stubborn old fool
“I see he has potential, but so did many others.” A sudden wave of sadness grips me as I recall some of those whom I personally trained. Their deaths weigh heavily on my soul, as I know they surely suffer within Fate’s Prison still.
Open your eyes fully and you will see what we have seen
My hand stops as I hold my cup nearly to my mouth. Lingering on the word ‘we’, there are others who have taken interest. There is a sick feeling rising in me, the last time others besides her were involved in this idle fantasy… it was not good for this Realm. My thoughts turn to Amon, the failure weighing more heavily on me.