Chapter 14: Wondering in the Wilderness

Sakura

The next two days largely involved me working with the healers, them testing my various abilities to ensure nothing had been damaged too severely, and working with my spirit companions as they finished healing.

“You’re healthier than an ox, save your ankle,” the senior physician said as he examined my ankle through a type of glass he held to his eye. The glass was inscribed with different formations, most of which I hadn’t yet learned how to read. What I could make out, seemed to be inscriptions and formations surrounding revealing, increased sight, and truth telling.

“It already feels much better than it did yesterday,” I explained as I rotated the joint slowly. There wasn’t any sharp pain, but a dull ache still ran through it.

“Yes, the joint itself is almost fully healed. But I'm more concerned about the meridian here. You haven’t yet mapped something to it, is that correct?” I nodded. “Ah, well, it appears the large amount of fire mana that your opponent used in her strike has overwhelmed the meridian directly at the joint. You’re going to need to focus on cleansing it of the fire mana. Conversely you could put that mana to other uses. Such as mapping a fire based spell to the meridian. If you were so inclined.”

“Thank you for your wisdom. I will take it into consideration.”

The old man stood to his full height, brushed his fingers through his long gray beard, nodded once to indicate everything else was fine, and then left with a curt but not unfriendly goodbye.

I understood of course. The man had other patients to tend to after all, there was no way he could spend time on me when it wasn’t warranted. No matter whose daughter I was.

It wasn’t long after that I was approached by two young healers. A young man and woman duo who I was pretty sure were the ones who had captured Sky God, and rescued King from my soul vault.

“You’re Sky Snake is a remarkable specimen,” The woman said. She was short, petite, with black hair as dark as a moonless and starless sky. Her eyes were piercingly critical as she spoke. “However, your Gamera is sorely lacking.”

“Uh, well hello to both of you.” The woman looked chagrined for a moment then bowed respectfully. I was clearly higher station then either of them. To approach anyone with such briskness was rude. To approach someone of a higher social rank like that was considered as near a crime as one could make on the social level. That is, if the person supposedly offended did not have the good graces to accept an apology when it was offered.

“I apologize Lady Sakura.” The woman said, her face burned slightly red as she tried to stare at the ceiling or floor, anything but meeting my eyes.

“Forgive my companion, Lady Sakura.” The young man said as he stepped in with a clipboard. “She is still cultivating her bedside manor as a healer.”

“I see,” I had to fight a smirk. “Who am I to begrudge someone who is still new to an aspect of their path of the Dao.” I waved it away. “Now what was this about King? Is he alright?” I met the woman's eyes, and the steel and fire that I had seen there a moment before returned.

“Yes young mis. He is healthy, as far as things go. He has healed almost all of the damage from the fight, thanks to regular mana and chie infusions and pills. However, are you aware he has not yet learned even a single bound spell? For a creature his age, his size, and with his clear control over two aspects of mana, that is highly unusual.”

“Really? I . . . didn’t know that.”

“It is true,” the man said, his voice was a bit less critical however. “It is unusual. However, not unheard of. Let me ask you young mis, have you yet bound a spell to a meridian? Or perhaps learned a technique? I know some warriors skip spells all together, and learn more advanced forms directly from their bloodlines or family training manuals.”

I shook my head slowly as I considered his words. “No, not yet. My meridians have been stubborn. Something to do with my age, or so I have been told.”

The steel in the woman's eyes melted a bit, the tension in her expression eased. “I see. And in that case, you have raised him from the egg?” I nodded. “That . . . that would make this much more understandable.”

“How so?”

“King Gamera, like your companion, are protective. It's a natural instinct they have in the wild, to guard and protect their large families from magically nullifying predators. They are typically the most physically imposing of their kind, though they also typically lack some of the magical versatility or uniqueness that others in their families tend to have. King might be an anomaly in that area, having two aspects that he has been drawn to, Wood and Fire, destruction and regrowth in the traditional forms. However, his instincts are still going to be the same as they would be in the wild.”

They stared at me expecting me to understand what they were trying to say. I just blinked in confusion. “I don’t understand. How would that affect him knowing how to map a spell?”

“I think,” the man picked up the explanation. “That protective instinct has expressed itself in a kind of, self imposed limitation. He wants to protect your feelings on the matter. So, he won’t, can’t really, learn to map a spell to his own meridians until you learn to do it first. Its clearly something important to you.”

“But . . .” I felt a pit in my stomach open up. And annoyed anger filled it. “You’re telling me that dumb turtle refused to learn to map a spell, because it was important for me to learn how, when him learning to do so, would have allowed me to learn?!”

The two healers looked towards each other and gave helpless shrugs. “We’re not sure, young mis.” The woman said. “But it is likely he himself doesn’t even know he’s doing it. Such mental blocks are not uncommon. King Gamera are prideful creatures. If he cares for you, then he also cares for your pride. You can not fault a spirit beast for their instincts.”

“That . . . that does sound like something he would do.” I sighed and leaned back into my bed. “What about Sky God?”

The two looked even more confused and gave each other concerned looks. “Who?”

“The Sky Snake. That’s his name. Sky God.” They both raised their eyebrows at that explanation. “Don’t blame me. I didn’t name this one.”

“Alright well, he’s doing just fine. In fact, he’s eager to get out and, as my Parrot translated, 'Bite everyone who trapped him in there, bite them good and dead.’ I think he might have an anger problem.”

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Bite, bite good and dead . . . Sky God's voice filled my mind in a kind of sleepy dreamy cadence.

“But he’s alright elsewise?”

“Of course. Perfect health.”

“Well, in that case, do you have somewhere I can do some cultivating? I have a bit of work I need to do while I heal up.

“Of course,” The man said. Then he gestured towards a set of double doors on the far side of the healing hall I had been through several times for testing. “There is the side yard, just out those doors. Where our master tested your chie and mana manipulation.”

They had some other basic questions for me, but after only a short time I was in a work out robe, in the side yard, holding Sky God in his captured gem.

You ready buddy? I think its time I learn a little from you. Is that alright?

Huh? Yes, little walking girl needs to learn. Learn to use fangs so when she bits, she kills. Like Sky God.

I couldn’t help but smile. Thank you, I would love to learn. But first, let me properly introduce myself. I am Sakura Gamera, heir of the Gamera line of Dukes within the Jade Empire’s Southern Kingdom. Though . . . that is soon to change.

Hello little human duke walking girl. I am Sky God. One of the many Sky Gods, and the greatest of the peak we hunted on together. He clearly didn’t understand the nature of royal titles yet, so I let it slide.

Greatest Sky God is your name?

It is what I am.

Hmmm. So in your eyes, if I called you Greatest Sky God, it would be like you calling me Human?

Yes. Or, a Duke Human, whatever that is. Though you should not call me Greatest here, I am far away from my hunting peak. And growing further with every moment.

Would you mind if I called you, sky for short? If that was your name?

Yes. Humans have . . . names. Yours is Sakura. Yes?

Yes, it is.

It means leaves from a tree? Not a very scary name. But not all things beautiful are scary. Like my scales. Not scary, but shiny and pretty.

Very true.

I find it . . . unsettling? Is that a good word? Yes, that word. Unsettling, that I do not know if I am greatest here in this place. I do not know where I stand. I must soon search throughout this strange walking place, and test myself against others.

We should do that together.

If walking girl thinks it best, then I will trust. This is her hunting ground, and Sky Gods do not do well on flat earth such as this. But first, walking girl must learn to use her fangs.

I smiled and put myself into a lotus position on the ground. My daggers resting in my palms, I forced some chie and mana into the small gem and unlocked Sky’s prison. He manifested as a coiled sky snake, with gray rock like camouflage atop his body, and shifting blue and white scales on his belly to make him harder to see from below.

Now, do as Sky says. And listen close. I am no good with words yet.

Sky walked me through the basic form of what he called Manifesting My Fangs. I had to modify much of what he taught me to work with my twin daggers. They had been gifts from my mother and father upon reaching peak steel, and were engraved with training enchantments just as my throwing daggers had been. But unlike those, these were long, wicked looking blades meant to stab into an opponent from in close, rather then from a short distance.

Once I got the mana construct of the “Fangs” correct, wrapping them around my daggers in a thin sheen of hardened air aligned mana that I had to filter through my connection with Sky, he moved me onto the next step.

This one is hard. Take yourself, your you, and put it into the fangs.

My, me?

Yes. Like this. He manifested his fangs slowly, and then allowed his venum to drip down and sizzle on the floor. It was a powerful and potent mix of chie and venum aligned mana that ate nearly an inch into the earth.

This is how we make our homes in rock for sleeping when the cold comes. But that is a lesson for much later. Now, you must learn the basics. Now, make you, into that.

He flicked his tongue at my Chie core, at the center of my chest, and then down at my blades.

So it is a technique. I sighed, this was going to be far, far harder than I thought. Just to learn a technique, combining chie and mana in such a way as to create unique and powerful effects, was something most Silvers were learning. I had done it of course, but rarely. And with careful supervision from those with far more knowledge than I had.

Then again, what is a Gold Snake Spirit if not my superior in the arts of cultivation?

Sighing I did as I was told. Slowly, and carefully. Sky gave me several tips on how to mix the mana and chie to get the most potent effect, and how to get different effects. Such as something that would stun prey that you didn’t intend to eat.

Never kill something you do not need to eat. A rabbit might be annoying, but to kill it without eating it is a waste. And waste is the worst crime.

While he was giving me a lecture on animalistic ethics, I learned three different potencies of toxins I could use. One for melting my prey from the inside out that Sky said was only for fighting other predators, or Sky Gods if they grew too bold. The second would quickly put a prey animal into its final sleep where its breathing would slow until it finally stopped, along with the beating of the creature's heart. This would preserve the meat for eating, he said.

And the last was the stunning venum. For putting weak Sky Gods in their place, and geting rid of annoying prey animals that were too dumb to be scared of you.

After I manifested all three onto the ground successfully, where the greedy stone and soil ate them, Sky pronounced me ready for my first hunt.

Perhaps we can find good hunting lower on this walking peak. Lower means weaker, weaker means good for first hunts, he dutifully explained as I picked him up and he wrapped himself around my arm and shoulders. His tongue flickered happily out towards whatever I was looking at. Then again, it could be different here. And we are far, and growing farther from my hunting grounds.

He sounded sullen for a moment, and then it clicked.

What are you talking about? You make it sound like we’re walking away from the sect . . . wait.

I ran to the edge of the courtyard and looked over the wall. I was in the sect hall alright. The building was filled to the brim with people, spirit beasts, and spirits that clung to it like drowning men to a piece of driftwood.

And far to the north of us, was the peak. I guess I'll never get to test myself against a Silver Lord, I thought bitterly.

Silver lords came with us. Many are here. They are Greatest of the Star Gods there, and are only second greatest here on this walking peak.

How long have I been in recovery? I asked the snake.

Long time. Many sleeping hours. I . . . can not tell time like you walking humans do. Maybe ask the other humans.

I did just that. I went back into the healing hall. “How long have I been in recovery?”

“You’ve been awake for two days now.” The male answered.

“Okay but how long was I out before that?”

“Has . . . has no one told you? You’ve been out nearly a week.” The girl gave me a sympathetic look. “It is not so uncommon for someone with as much damage as you had. Four silvers, taking on a single Peak Steel? You are lucky to be alive.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Damn it.”

“What's the problem?” The senior surgeon rounded a corner, pulling back a curtain to reveal his head and a concerned expression on it. “Is everything alright, Septa, Steven?”

“Just some temporal shock doctor.” The young man, who apparently was named Steven, explained. “She just realized she was unconscious for a week.”

“Ah, do not be alarmed young woman. You should be right as . . . what? Do I have blood on my face again? Oh bother.” The elderly man began wiping away at a clean face.

My mind was reeling. I wasn’t a Silver. Yet. We were already heading south to the rendevu with my family, and the rest of the Duchy who had agreed to go with us on our journey, wandering in the wilderness of the western lands, looking for a new home.

“How long would it take me to get back to the peak?”

“Why ever would you do that child?”

“I . . . I wanted to test myself against a Silver Star Lord.” My shoulders sagged. “After I reached Silver.”

His expression brightened. “Ah, well you’re in luck then my dear. You’re nearly fully healed, so I can allow you to leave if you desire it. Just watch that ankle, and be sure to cleanse it of foreign mana before pushing too much energy through its meridian. You’ve already taken a pill that has sapped most of its resistance, but there is still some remaining there. I am sure that Sect Leader Wu Zin would allow you to test yourself, once you have finished ascending.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yes. Most of this last week he and the other tutors and sect leaders have worked diligently to ensure the sect school continues to run despite the . . . um. Well, the political reality we now see ourselves in. That happens to include several silver lords who agreed to come with us on the journey to new lands, and at least two Gold . . . Oh, hello there snake friend.”

Sky flicked his tongue out and tasted the old man's beard.

He will not be good hunting. Too old.

Age implies strength among cultivators, but I think you’re right. Still not a good sparring partner. “Thank you Master Healer. Please, excuse me. I have an ascension to undergo.”

“Of course, child!” I started running out of the healing hall and out towards where I knew the closest cultivation chambers were. “May the Gods grant you success!”