It was hard for Kel not to feel some remorse when Micro finally reached the summit again with a look of shock and confusion, but Blue’s laughter helped to lighten the mood.
“Apologies for the surprise, master.” Kel bowed with a smile.
“As my grandfather told me on the day of my first lesson, the painful lessons leave the deepest impressions.”
“I certainly feel like I picked up a few dents…” Micro said as he rubbed his back.
“Perfect.” Kel clapped his hands and turned to Tae.
“We’ll continue right away then.”
“Of course, young master.” Tae said as she raised a glowing fist and wound back for a second punch.
“Oh!” Micro shouted, realizing her intent and preparing for the blow.
Tae’s fist quickly made contact with the rusty shield, but this time it was coated densely with his aura. Rather than flying backward down the mountain, he was satisfied to see Tae stumble backward as his shield overflowed with energy.
“I did it!” Micro shouted.
“Very good, master.” Tae said as she adjusted her stance.
“Wait, no-” Micro blurted out as he raised his shield, now completely devoid of any aura at all, and failed to even slow the momentum of Tae’s fist.
“You said…!”
Blue laughed even louder this time as she watched him tumble down the mountain for a second time.
“No really, it’s my turn!” Blue shouted up to Tae.
“Kick me!”
Tae looked at Kel, who shrugged, then back at Blue.
“You’re certain?” Tae asked with an eyebrow raised.
“Give it all you’ve got, princess!” Blue shouted back.
“Fine…” Tae mumbled with a frown as she unleashed a kick with more enthusiasm than she had originally intended, making contact with the leaf in the pixie's hand almost instantly. She had envisioned the little blue creature flying down the mountain with a small amount of anticipation, but she was surprised to find her foot had stopped.
“I said give it all you’ve got!” Blue snapped as Tae took a step back.
“Or did you leave your kicking shoes at home?!”
Tae didn’t hesitate to kick the pixie a second time. The toe of her leather boot glowed with a dense aura as it pierced the air toward the pixie once more.
“Oof!” Blue grunted, this time being sent several paces back by the impact.
“Not bad!”
Tae limped back and shook out her foot as she looked in frustration and wonder at the pixie, still holding a glowing leaf like a shield. The best she could do was nod in approval after seeing the pixie properly utilizing the technique Kel had only just explained.
“You cultivators are a crude bunch, but I’ll admit cores are convenient!” Blue declared as she waved the leaf around playfully.
“Who would’ve thought this was possible…?”
Kel had no words to offer the pixie after watching a creature he’d considered a pest all his life mastering the techniques of his sect with little effort, and he was relieved when Micro once again appeared before him.
“Good to see you, master.” He greeted him awkwardly.
“I trust you understand your mistake.”
“I used too much energy blocking the first punch…” Micro panted as he rubbed a large bruise on his forehead.
“Couldn’t fill the shield back up in time for the second… Ouch…”
“Don’t worry, kid!” Blue called up to him with a condescending laugh.
“You’ll reach my level soon, for sure!”
“Thanks, Blue… Ah…” He replied as he recalled the pain in his back.
“Again.” Kel signalled the lesson’s continuation.
~
By the time the sun was high in the sky, Micro had found a route up the mountain which he liked, but he had grown tired of climbing it. He was also surprised by how durable the rusty old shield was despite its appearance. However, he had eventually reached the point where he could defend himself against five consecutive punches and at least a kick or two from Tae before having to climb back up again.
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Kel eventually gave in to Blue’s demand for a training partner, and reluctantly assisted her in perfecting her energy control by repeatedly kicking her. To kick such a small and helpless looking creature bothered him at first, but with every rude remark she made, it became increasingly satisfying to try and kick her down the hill, a feat he only managed a few times as she quickly improved.
Although Micro was bruised and exhausted, he did eventually come to a point where he could fill his shield with just enough aura to nullify one of Tae’s attacks while being careful to save enough for the next attack. It became easier to do as he learned to continue to draw energy from the air he breathed, allowing him to replenish the energy dissipated by the impact of each attack.
“Kel…” Micro spoke for the first time in hours, looking at the young master of the Fire Mountain Turtle Sect with longing in his eyes.
“What is it, master?” Kel asked in reply.
“Mountain fried beef…” Micro groaned.
“Honeybuns… Please…”
“The only things you can eat in battle are victory and defeat, master.” Kel said with a smile.
“But I do think now is as good a time as any to move on to the next lesson. We are pressed for time, after all.”
“Next lesson…?” Micro asked with a weak cough.
“I think you’ll enjoy it.” Kel said as his smile grew darker.
Kel glanced at Blue and Tae, who had begun arguing over several of the terms Blue used to describe cultivators while Micro climbed the hill, and gestured for them to follow. The four descended the mountain together, crossing through the place where they had meditated the previous day and making their way down the rocky path. Micro was relieved not to be falling down the mountain for once, and he took a moment to enjoy the view again. The plains he’d walked across with Kel and his comrades looked serene, and the mountains and hills that extended out from the other side of the mountain he was on seemed full of life and mysteries.
“What’s out there, Kel?” Micro asked as he tried to count the many hills on the horizon before he could no longer see them over the ridge of the mountain.
“There is much to see in the world, master.” Kel replied.
“You’ll get a taste of it soon enough.”
“A taste…” Micro repeated as his mouth began to water at the thought of his favourite meal.
As they passed through the busy courtyard, Micro was distracted from his hunger momentarily by a familiar voice.
“Greetings, young master.” Den said with a bow as he appeared beside Kel. He looked briefly at Tae, Micro, and the pixies on Micro’s shoulder, and gasped.
“You… What happened, in such a short time?”
“What’s wrong?” Micro asked.
“All of you… even the pixie…” Den stammered.
“Like night and day… By your aura, you might be mistaken for one of the elders!”
“It’s time we moved a little faster toward our future, old friend.” Kel replied, placing a hand on his shoulder with a confident smile.
“This sect will see a new era, in time.”
“I look forward to that day, young master.” Den said with a deeper bow.
“Is the matter of the Amber level dungeon settled.” Kel asked as he turned to leave.
“Envoys from the Amber Dark Wildflower Star Sect arrived at the dungeon’s entrance not long ago.” Den replied.
“The matter is in their hands.”
“Very good, thank you, Den.” Kel shouted over his shoulder as he continued through the courtyard.
“Thanks, Den!” Micro added, then turned to Kel.
“Where are we going now?”
“As I said, you’ll likely enjoy it.” Kel smiled as they came to stand before the Fire Mountain Art Dungeon’s shimmering green entrance.
“Oh!” Micro cried.
“Let’s go!”
He jumped through the gate as Kel began to speak, looking forward to collecting more Core Cards. However, his enthusiasm was cut short when he remembered why he had returned so quickly the last time. The gravity of the forest he entered immediately brought him to his knees with a thud, leaving Blue floating in the air awkwardly. Micro strained his neck to look up at the pixie.
“How…?” He asked her as she casually flapped her wings.
“You sure are slow when it matters, kid.” She gracefully flew over to him and dropped down on his head, driving it painfully into the ground.
“You have all that energy, so why aren’t you doing anything with it?” She taunted him while tapping her tiny foot on his head.
“Oh…” Micro sighed.
“Thanks, Blue.”
He recalled Kel’s previous explanation of the way energy could be used to fortify the body and began to concentrate. Without letting it run wild, he began to stir the energy stores in his core and let them flow through his body, and soon he could breathe easier. He stood up slowly as the gravity began to loosen its grip on his strengthened body, and took a moment to stabilize the current. As he stood silently, Kel and Tae appeared behind him in the portal.
“Very good, master!” Kel said, clapping his hands happily.
“As expected, your ability to circulate your internal energy throughout your body has improved considerably in a short time.”
“So, is this lesson done?” Micro asked as he got used to moving around with his legs full of energy.
“You’ve learned to defend yourself from multiple attacks quite well, however…” Kel explained.
“You’ve yet to understand the limits of your stamina while on the offensive.”
“Do I have to attack something?” Micro asked as he looked around, seeing nothing but trees near the portal he had just stepped through.
“In a manner of speaking, you must attack something, yes.” Kel chuckled.
“Come this way, master.”
Kel led Micro past the portal, Tae and Blue following close behind, up a small hill where golden forest thinned enough to see the horizon. There, Micro gasped as he realized the nature of the dungeon he was in.
“It’s an island…?” He whispered in awe.
“In the sky?”
He looked around with his mouth wide open at the forest of golden trees he had assumed was part of a much larger world, when in fact it extended in either direction no more than a few kilometers. At the centre of the island that seemed to be floating in the orange sky was a mountain, not unlike the place Kel called home. He felt like he could stare at the bizarrely beautiful landscape forever, but he was soon distracted when Kel pointed at the mountain at the centre of the fantastical scene.
“You’ll be attacking that, master.”