Chapter 22: Revelations and Secrets
Uzman led his friends to the Rank 2 training camp where he had achieved most of his breakthroughs. He retrieved the repelling formation and created a safe area covering 20 square meters.
“As you guys already know the guardians created formations to safeguard people from beast waves. Apart from areas where the formations are failing, beasts are restricted from passing the formations based on their cultivation rank. This area where we are camped is a Rank 2 zone. Apart from Fatima, the rest of us are all at the second rank, we should be relatively safe.
“Now, my training regimen has hitherto consisted of three activities: cultivation through meditation, martial training, and testing myself against the beasts of the forest."
“How do you perform martial training alone? Wouldn’t it be more effective with a partner?” Fatima asked.
“Ha, that is another secret I have been keeping. Remember the inheritance I told you about? Turns out that the Dragon Fire Clan owned a training golem that can be customized to whatever level you want,” Uzman answered as he retrieved the golem.
The Northerners were struck speechless as they examined the artifact.
“This golem is excessively valuable, it is rumored that the imperial family has such a training golem. Even the Great Houses have not been able to create or acquire one,” Kenzo said incredulously.
“How do you activate it?” Jurdur asked his eyes shining.
Uzman could see his anticipation. Jurdur loved fighting and sparring. It had been one of the reasons he had advanced quickly on the martial path.
“The golem was created by the last guardian to train the clans. It bears his essence and relies on beast cores for power.” Uzman answered.
Uzman retrieved a Rank 3 beast core, inserted it in the appropriate slot, and then set the golem to advanced.
“No wonder you were not interested in training at the academy. This way is much cooler,” Jurdur said as he moved to face the golem.
As Uzman watched in amusement, Jurdur moved to attack the golem unarmed. He led with a straight punch to the chest. Before his punch could connect, the golem blocked; held the hand, and used his momentum to throw him over its shoulder. In less than two breaths Uzman was lying on the floor cursing while Kenzo and Fatima were staring at the golem in wonder.
Uzman struggled to contain his mirth. He had purposely set the golem to advanced, hoping for this exact outcome. Fatima looked at Uzman accusingly as she went to help Jurdur onto his feet.
“You should have warned him. What if he gets critically hurt?" She asked. After taking a few breaths to control himself Uzman answered.
“The golem can be set to an appropriate level to match the combatant. It has four levels; beginner, adept, advanced, and mastery. I had set it at advanced since it is the setting I have been using.”
“In that case, can I also have a go?” Kenzo asked.
“I don’t see any reason why you can’t. After all, we are here to train,” Uzman responded.
Kenzo stepped up and faced the golem. As an air cultivator, she was fast. Her ascension to Rank 2 had made her faster and stronger. However, Uzman realized as he watched the fight evolve that she was not properly trained. Her forms were executed properly but they were lacking the attendant breathing exercises that gave the forms life. Uzman sighed in resignation. He would have to take time off to teach his friends how to properly harness the Martial Forms.
Kenzo fared slightly better than Jurdur. She was able to last more exchanges by dodging and weaving using her speed. However, the golem could switch between forms and quickly countered her speed and savagely punched her in the chest breaking two ribs.
Before Fatima could engage the golem, Uzman decided to intervene. “Guys, let me explain a few things that will be important for our training to be effective. From what I have seen your Martial Forms are flawed-
“You know our Martial Forms? They are secret and only known to the clans.” Kenzo interjected.
Uzman chuckled ruefully “Did you just forget I am also clan, and that the forms were created by a patriarch of the Dragon Fire Clan?
“Like I was saying, your approach to the form seems to be wrong. We will have to correct that. Secondly, you need to work gradually from the lowest level until you can comfortably fight against the golem before advancing to the next level. As part of my training, I need to move from the advanced setting to mastery before I can continue on my cultivation journey. Additionally, we need to schedule the use of the golem, cultivation, and foraging to make the best of the resources we have. The golem also helps in tempering. This means that you will need to get hurt a lot and heal yourself or use healing pills constantly.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“We thank you for this opportunity. Don’t worry everything will work out. We will try not to hold you back," Kenzo said, speaking for the Northerners.
The group decided to operate in teams. In this case, two people would go foraging while the rest would remain at the camp training. To start with, Kenzo and Jurdur would go foraging while Fatima and Uzman would remain in the camp. Since Fatima was the weakest, she was paired with Uzman who was the strongest and the designated camp leader. This arrangement was to take effect from the next day when Kenzo and Jurdur would go foraging and leave Fatima and Uzman training at the camp.
Uzman decided to help his friends improve their forms. “Guys I have noticed that all of you use the forms of the Martial Path based on your affinities. However, you are not using them efficiently as you are not synchronizing your breathing patterns. Watch carefully as I demonstrate each of your forms.”
Uzman stepped into the bear stance and started the initial earth forms. He effortlessly flew through the foundational forms while using his breathing to channel his Chi and enhance the appropriate part of his body. When punching he exhaled with the punch while simultaneously channeling earth to the hand. Uzman got carried away by the forms and used the transition elements of metal to bridge to fire. He moved from fire to air transitioning through the destruction whirlwind forms. These were chaotic, fueled by the aggression of fire and the speed of air. He flawlessly executed the air forms and then slowed entering into the domain of water through ice. And finishing the sequence through the fluid and invigorating forms of water.
Uzman slowly normalized his breathing and bowed, legs spread to the width of the shoulders indicating the end of the forms. He looked to see his friends all looking at him; Silent. They looked comical. Fatima had her mouth open complementing her wide eyes. Kenzo was looking at him in awe and with an expression that bordered on adoration; while Jurdur seemed surprised and almost angered.
Kenzo was the first to find her voice “You! How do you know all our forms? I could clearly see my air forms somewhere in the middle but you executed them flawlessly almost better than my father. I could also see the earth and water forms. But there were a lot of other forms that seemed deadly but I have never seen them. Believe me, I have seen all of the forms practiced in the clans.”
“That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Your water forms were life-like,” gushed Fatima. Jurdur had a more reserved take on the sequence.
“Cousin, I have to ask this. Why didn’t you show us those forms before, we would have practiced and become stronger together,” He grumbled.
“Calm down everyone, since we have established that I am a member of the Clans, why would it be difficult for me to have access to the Forms of the Martial Path?” Uzman asked rhetorically. “These forms were developed by the Patriarch of the Dragon Fire Clan and then given to the clans. As I have demonstrated, they were a holistic model, created by one person. They were then split into parts that can be trained to people based on their affinity.
"As you may all have noticed, I started with the earth forms since they are the slowest, but I could have started anywhere really. I then moved to fire, air and water-
“Hold on for a moment. Are you saying that you can channel all the elements? Like a real Guardian?" Kenzo interjected the question coming out as a shout.
Uzman looked at his friends, one after the other. They were all looking at him intensely, their eyes filled with a fervent light.
“-Well yes, but I am still training,” He answered. This revelation was followed by an uproar, his friends speaking over each other; shouting.
“I think you should go and stay with the clans in the north where you will be safe,” Shouted Kenzo.
“Why in hell did you wait this long to inform us? I thought you trusted us,” Jurdur was saying.
“This is amazing, the clans will at long last rise up in power,” Fatima stated; the eternal optimist.
“Guys let us have some order. This is huge news,” Kenzo said taking charge of the conversation as usual. “Uzman you need to realize that if this information becomes widespread, you will be in danger from the imperials and the Great Duchies especially if they think you are a Northerner. This is not a joking matter.”
“Why would they want to harm me? I would expect they would all try to exploit me for their own ends rather than kill me,” Uzman retorted.
“Sometimes you surprise me with how ignorant of the political structure of Tanga you are. The clans are in mutual opposition with Silicia and the Imperials due to the events that surrounded the death of the last Guardian and the purges that followed. The potential of another Guardian would create the conditions for an outright war to stop you from growing into your power. Your rate of growth, I would wager has already made waves and I assume you will be closely monitored,” Jurdur stated soberly.
“It is true, before we came here, I overheard Ayyub talking with Ishraq. They were saying that they had been authorized to recruit you for their Duchy at all costs," Fatima piped up.
“I understand the challenges that I will face and my responsibilities. That is why I defied Master Jones and came to train in the forest to escape their political machinations. Additionally, I will not be returning to the Academy until I reach the Third rank,” Uzman informed them.
“So you will be coming with us to the North?” Kenzo persisted.
“I will not make any promises at this time. But rest assured that I will carefully consider any move I make. I suggest we sleep or meditate for the rest of the night before we start our training tomorrow." Uzman said closing the issue.
As Uzman slept, Kenzo moved a slight distance away from the camp and retrieved a communication construct from her storage device. She sighed in dismay. It had been her duty to lead the Northerners at the Academy and bring glory to the Clans. As she penned a note to her father, she felt like a traitor but knew that this information was critical for the survival of the clans.