The rest of the stone warriors quickly drafted members of the Huaca to help them with repairs to the sleds. In no time, they were joking with the Huaca’s bodycasters, and no one spared a second glance for their glowing amber armor. How strange, that who they once thought of as gods acted the same as them.
Ichu stood across from Akamu on an open spot in the third sled, which had been used for chayu practice while they were traveling. Silluka was nearby, her hand holding on to her partial arm, Lugopo watching everything from her shoulder. Cosquella was hulking nearby, her heavy-lidded eyes watching everything. Ichu assumed she knew as little of the greater world as they did, but the young woman had certainly showed her worth in the fight. If that was without chayus, she would be a titan once she learned. Elder Quilqi stood off to one side, her hands behind her back, chin up. Ichu wondered what other secrets she hid, not that it would be easy to get her to part with them.
“Take me through the sort of chayus you practice,” Akamu said, and Ichu fell into Strength stance, beginning Tortoise Shoulders His Load, his go-to chayu for anything requiring physical labor. It was relatively quick, and the effects lasted for a good while after the chayu was done—one “Tortoise” of effort, in Lugopo’s system.
The ampuka connected after only a few seconds, leaving a glowing brown aura around him after he was finished. Ichu wasn’t even breathing heavily. He came to rest before Akamu, wondering what the storm warrior would say. Were there tweaks the other man could give him to increase its prowess?
Instead, Akamu cocked his head to one side. “Impressive. You are connecting to the core by sheer brute force? How much time does it take one of your village to learn this power? To have such precision is admirable. If you were to use all of your power, you would be a fearful practitioner.”
Ichu tried not to show his shock, but some part must have gotten through. He saw Elder Quilqi look down to hide a smile.
“Not…using all my power?” he asked. “This is all of it. I’m the strongest bodycaster in the village.”
“Is this what Elder Quilqi meant by teaching us intent?” Silluka asked. “People in our village with injuries or missing limbs can’t summon the ampuka. Would that technique change how we practice?”
Now Akamu looked confused. “Why would your body type affect your chayu? Is this why you favor your right arm? Some of the strongest casters I know are old men and woman, or those who have been through many battles. Those events leave scars, some larger than others. If what you say was true, none of them would be able to summon the ampuka, but that is the very lowest level of training. Some of their advanced techniques might be hindered, but not this.”
“More advanced than summoning the ampuka?” Cosquella asked. “That’s all my father said was possible, he did, and I can’t even do that because of my skin condition.”
Akamu shook his head. “With your size and build, I’d be afraid to face you on the battlefield in your full strength.” He broke off and looked from Ichu, to Silluka, to Cosquella, and finally to the elder.
“Ancient one, is there any secret here? Any reason I should not start these three, and whoever wants from the village, on training true casting?”
Elder Quilqi shook her head. “None at all. I’ve been doing what little I could, but time was short with the Eztli Mecatl invading. By the burning seas, we’ve been fleeing two islands merging! I’ve been meaning to teach these three more but the elders of this little village demand my attention like crows after shiny metal.”
“Well then, let me think where to begin.” Akamu put his hands behind his back, pacing a few steps right, then left. The sunlight caught his cheekbones, and Ichu admired their structure. Quite a handsome man, and obviously caring of those under his command. His warriors seemed more like a family.
“You all know of the core of the world, yes?” He looked to confused eyes. Ichu had heard the term, but only as a saying, not in practical terms.
“Elder Quilqi said it was where the Aunts, Uncles, and Entles live,” Silluka offered.
Akamu nodded. “That’s true, but not very useful in a practical sense. The core is how they give power to the world through their chayu, and in turn, how the rest of us tap that power to use it.”
Lugopo scampered across Silluka’s shoulders, tapping their translation circlet. “Not just those gods, but Manylegs, Crawling, and Whirling! All gods are represented, ready to fight for their share of the power.”
Akamu raised a finger to acknowledge the point. “Correct, Allwiya. All the gods live in the core, not just those of the Huaca. But each set of gods is tied to one tectonic plate, or one island. They influence those native to that island. It’s why our chayus are more powerful, the closer to the center of the Huaca.”
“But we fled from the Huaca.” Silluka looked confused, and Ichu felt the same way. It was like talking with someone using the same words, but speaking a different language.
“You call that the Huaca?” Akamu huffed a quick laugh. “You’ll learn more about that soon, I’d wager.” He waved the point away. “I’m getting away from the topic, though. The core of the world is how a caster gets his power. The ampuka is the first sign of this, but the core’s power makes up all of the world. There are many ways to use it.”
“How does that mean I’m not using all my power?” Ichu asked. There was so much he didn’t know that he latched on to what was most important for him. Was his fading strength and weakness simply from not tapping the core correctly? Or did his age have something to do with it after all?
Akamu held out both hands, wiggling his fingers rhythmically. First and third fingers, then the second and forth, then each finger dipping in turn. “The very first exercise we learn is Rattling Leaves.” His fingers began to glow. “This makes a mechanical connection to the ampuka and shows the practitioner what can be done.”
Ichu came closer to Akamu. “But the ampuka is only on your fingers. It should cover the whole body. Maybe stronger in some parts, but all over.”
Akamu shook his head and gestured to Silluka. “And if one doesn’t have part of their body? Should that stop the ampuka from forming?” At Ichu’s confused look, he continued. “Rattling Leaves is made to let beginners feel the connection and summon it in a safe manner, only around their fingers. It makes the fingers stronger, and more dexterous. The next step is to learn the connection to the core.”
“Where the ampuka comes from,” Cosquella said. She was listening carefully, frowning, her impressive arms crossed over her chest.
“Yes. Once you feel how the core is connected, you can channel that energy with your intent and the proper chayu.” Now Akamu gestured to Lugopo. “That is how it works for those of the Huaca. This is dependent on the god or gods of your birth. The Allwiya channels the same connection through a mental power, hard for us to see, but I have heard that Allwiya can see it between each other.”
Silluka turned to the little Allwiya on her shoulder. “You can see what others are thinking?”
“Only when others are making mighty use of Manylegs, Crawling, and Whirling. You cannot see this?” they twisted several tentacles in front of their body. “Most interesting. I will have to study this for tactical advantages.” They tapped the circlet. “To see differences between our peoples, that is.”
“To get back on track,” Ichu broke in, “this intent. It changes how we perform chayus?”
“If the form of the chayu is the practical example of what it does, then the intent behind it is why you want to do it.” Elder Quilqi finally came forward. “This is what I was trying to show you by changing the stances. They open your mind to differences being acceptable. Once you do that, you can use your intent for larger adjustments to the chayus.”
“Larger ones? Like what?” Ichu felt his mind reaching for more possibilities. Maybe it was true he was only using part of his power.
“Well, such as storing chayus,” Akamu said.
“Storing them.” Ichu stared back. That would mean…
“Certainly. You don’t think the storm warriors and stone warriors can take time to perform full chayus as they respond to threats?”
“But that’s why we have shorter chayus, like Jakua’s Claws,” Ichu protested.
“That’s merely a segment chayu.” Akamu brushed aside the objection.
“A segment of what?” Silluka asked. “I’ve never heard of that, but then, I haven’t heard a lot about chayu theory.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I haven’t heard of it either,” Ichu mumbled. There was so much here, glimpses of power he’d never even thought of. Were their elders such worms, scrabbling in the dust when there was rips fruit just above their heads?
Akamu shook his head. “I am even more impressed. To use chayu so quickly must require a lot of training. But you do the morning ritual, yes?”
“Of course.” Ichu was solid at least in that answer. “It’s how every bodycaster keeps in form, since it contains movements for every part of the body.”
Akamu looked momentarily thoughtful. “I suppose it does, doesn’t it. But that’s not really the point. Certainly you see the effect when you finish the chayu?”
“But my father always said he left the last move of the morning ritual off, he did.” Cosquella squeezed her fists and glowered. “Was he missing so much knowledge?”
“No, our village doesn’t complete the morning ritual either,” Silluka answered.
Now Akamu was aghast. “You don’t complete the morning ritual? And just leave all the power hanging there? But that’s what opens you up to using the core. No wonder you haven’t figured out how to break through.” He looked at Elder Quilqi. “Were you going to tell them?”
Ichu, his sister, and Cosquella all turned to stare. Lugopo crawled to the top of Silluka’s head and curled two tentacles to the sides of his body, approximating hands on hips.
The elder threw her hands up. “Scrolls and chayus! I was trying to blend in and not create chaos since I’d just been in that backward village for a few years. I was researching their old records to find where they’d lost their methods. If I told them that, it would mess up my research.” She opened a hand to Silluka. “It was only with this girl attempting to reach the core that I started intervening before she burnt herself to a crisp.”
Ichu held up his hands to stop the two from going further. “Wait. Then we should complete the morning ritual? We were always taught it would call down the power of the gods.”
“What do you think tapping into the core is, boy?” Elder Quilqi snapped.
“I think we should back up,” Akamu waved his hands. “I begin to see where the disconnect is. All eyes turned back to him, and Elder Quilqi nodded her head for him to continue.
“First,” Akamu held up a finger, “While the morning ritual is not necessary, it opens the practitioner to the core and the full power of the ampuka. It is one of the best ways to train this.” He held up another finger. “Second. The morning ritual is an example of a full chayu. Full chayus can be broken down into chayu segments, which will help channel individual abilities, and are quicker to perform.” Another finger went up. “Third. Using the full power of the ampuka, full chayus and chayu segments can be stored within the body, to be unleashed with simple commands, thereby banking the actions for quick use.” His words sounded almost rote, and Ichu was reminded of a teacher lecturing to his beginning class.
Akamu made a grasping gesture and his amber armor suddenly glowed with an inner light. Silluka and Cosquella drew in breath. Ichu had seen the stone warrior’s armor do that during the battle with the turtlemen. He suspected the light acted as extra protection, magnifying the defense power of the amber.
“And you can show us how to do these things?” Silluka almost whispered.
“It’s some of the most basic exercises we learn growing up,” Akamu shrugged. “Of course I can show you. The easiest way is to simply complete the morning ritual and you can see for yourself.”
Ichu arranged himself behind Akamu, watching the man’s well-toned legs and thighs. Silluka was to one side and Cosquella was to the other. Elder Quilqi had poo-pooed any attempts to get her to join in but she watched from not far away.
“It won’t help me any, and it won’t show you what you need to know,” she griped. Instead, Lugopo sat on her shoulder, and they communicated in fast sign language.
The chayu was achingly familiar. Ichu had practiced it almost every day of his life. But there was a strange anticipation associated with it now. He had never expected a result from it, save for maybe the very first time his parents had taught it to him, with the warning that he must never finish it lest he be struck down by the gods.
Now he felt it building inside him. Was this because he intended to finish it? Once again, Elder Quilqi’s lessons on intent seemed pertinent.
He almost fumbled the last move, Pray. He was familiar with it, and it was a simple move, merely pushing the hands together in front of the solar plexus, then pressing straight out and letting the hands open like a leaf.
It was done. Where was…?
The storm of power hit him like a thrown rock. His head snapped back, arms dropping to his side. Akamu, in front of him, simply bowed his head forward.
He could barely move, shocks like lightning strikes coursing through him, but from the corner of his eyes, Ichu could just make out Silluka in the same position as him, shaking, the tip of her partial arm vibrating even faster. On his other side, Cosquella looked simply tense, holding the last position.
“Don’t let that power simply leave,” Akamu directed in a strained voice. “Push it inward, toward your center, your sunqu.”
His what?
Ichu closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He could feel the power, more than any ampuka he’d felt before, draining from his fingertips, his head, his toes. Was this the power of the gods? He focused his nascent intent on capturing it, and keeping it inside his body somehow.
He thought he might have kept a little, but most vanished into the aura around him. He shared a look with Silluka, who was breathing heavily, shoulders bent in, her hand grasping her stump again as someone else would grasp their opposite elbow.
“Hm. There might be a chance for your village if everyone can pick up on that as fast,” Elder Quilqi said from the sidelines. “What do you think, Akamu?”
Ichu regarded the stone warrior, who turned, eyes scraping across the three of them as if they were wayward youths who’d been found feasting on the winter stores. No. He looked closer. There was strain in the warrior’s face, a tenseness in his chin and eyes. So capturing the power in the—what was it? Sunqu?—was not an easy task.
Akamu came close to him, his eyes flicking to Ichu’s forehead, eyes, and mouth, then with gentle hands he grasped Ichu’s fingers, feeling their tips. Finally, after looking to him for approval, he placed his fingers at Ichu’s temples and then the center of his forehead. Despite the man’s warm fingers and pleasant touch, he drew back from the fingers between his eyes. Akamu nodded and gave him a slight smile.
“That’s normal. When the power of the core is stored within you, it’s natural to react strongly to others with the same power. Our bodies process it naturally, but each does so differently, thus the ‘uncomfortable feeling.’” Akamu gave him a different, considering look. “Fortunately, it is only at the body’s node points. Other parts may be touched by practitioners whether they hold the power of the core or not.”
“I will have to experiment with how that works,” Ichu answered. “Perhaps you might have some other lessons for me?” He almost kept his face straight, but felt the corner of his lip twitch just slightly.
“That sounds like an…enjoyable task,” Akamu smiled back, “but I must check the others.”
He brushed Ichu’s fingers with his as he walked to Silluka, whose eyes snapped back to the front as Akamu approached her. She’d been smirking at them, though perhaps he deserved that.
“Impressive,” Akamu said, upon performing the same examination on her—though with no lingering touches. “You have stored more of the core’s power than your brother.”
Ichu kept his mouth closed, though he raised his chin. He was going to practice this new technique every single moment he had.
“You were concerned of your missing hand,” Akamu said abruptly. “What do you feel now? Did it affect the morning ritual?”
“I…no, I don’t think it did,” Silluka finally admitted. Her brow was furrowed, as if she couldn’t understand it herself.
“You have a strong intent. That will make up for much.” Akamu was serious now. “I will not lie, missing a limb, or part of a limb, makes it harder to achieve the full effect from chayus, stored, long form, short, or in any other combination. But it is not so much a detriment as there is a benefit from knowing how your body acts. That is the most important technique for you to practice. How does your unique body respond to your commands, versus another? Aided by your intent and focus, you could grow to the highest ranks of bodycasters one day.”
He gave her a sharp nod and went to Cosquella. Ichu watched his sister for a moment longer. She blinked, obviously trying to take in the storm warrior’s advice. Not only did Ichu need to practice this new technique, he needed to practice it with his sister.
Then his head whipped back around at Akamu’s grunt of surprise.
“Strange. It is almost as if the core’s power does not know where to attach to you.”
Cosquella frowned, stiff hair and rough skin a stark contrast to the rest of them. Why did Silluka’s difference not matter, but Cosquella’s did?
“What do you feel?” Akamu asked her.
“Not much,” she admitted. “Did I…do it wrong? I’ve never been good at bodycasting, ever. My father couldn’t even teach me one chayu successfully.” She hung her head. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this. I’ll just be one of undesirables they have in Silluka’s village.”
“Undesirables? There are no such people in Chimor.” Akamu stepped back, taking in all of Cosquella. “And I have seen my fair share of beings of all shapes and sizes. We must simply get to the bottom of how you tap into the core. Remember, its power makes up everything in the world. There is nothing that is not a part of it. Just as Silluka is a special case, so might you be. All it takes is practice.”
Akamu traded an unreadable look with Elder Quilqi. “But that can wait until tomorrow.”
“We’ve learned so much already,” Ichu protested. “You haven’t taught us of segment chayus and full chayus, or how to store them—”
“And you won’t learn all that today or even in the next week,” the elder broke in. “How long did it take for you to learn your first chayu? Really learn it.” She raised white eyebrows and Ichu frowned back. He knew what she meant, but he didn’t like it.
“Can we not at least learn more of the theory?” Ichu could remember more easily. He was used to learning new chayus now. Surely this was no different.
The elder shook her head. “Compared to the citizens of Chimor you are as children. Even you, Ichu. Stars above! You won’t learn what you need in a day, and pushing yourself with this kind of power when you barely know how to tap it could burn you to a crisp. These methods take just as much time as your village’s method of body control. Don’t rush things.”
Ichu turned to Akamu. “But you will train us, yes? You will escort us to Chimor and show us the wonders of that city?” And maybe show Ichu a few wonders while he was at it.
Akamu for the first time seemed torn. “I would be honored to take your people all the way to Chimor, but our duties will keep us here for several more months, while the Eztli Mecatl push deeper into this land. My team can take you as far as the edge of the stable desert, past this volcano and through the shaking domain.”
Ichu went up to Akamu this time, not trying to hide his attraction, his eyes locked on the other man’s. He felt a connection he hadn’t in many years. “And will you come to Chimor, eventually? I would be happy to see more of you.”
Akamu grinned back. “Oh, we’ll be there. I’ll be there. Chimor is where all of the warriors have their base of operation. Once back, I’ll be happy to take you around, and introduce you to the stone warriors, the storm warriors, the sea warriors, and the fire warriors. Maybe you’ll even be a fit for one of the teams one day.” He took Ichu’s proffered hand and squeezed it.
“For now, though, we should go back to the others and get this sled ready to move across the desert. Your village must have all the protection available to pass safely through the lands patrolled by the crazed Allwiya. It’s a good thing the ancient one is around to help. You’ll need it.”