Chapter Two
“He’s certainly large.”
“Yes, and his features . . . they are that of the Far North. I’ve only seen a member of his kind once before. Wretched barbarians all of them.”
“Well he spoke the Tongue, Qiang, so I doubt he is one of their ilk.”
“Hush both of you, I believe he is waking.”
For a second straight time, Riley awoke to strange voices. As his eyes fluttered open, he found himself lying upon a reed mat in a small, unadorned room. Crowding the tiny space, a trio of robed figures watched him reproachfully as he slowly eased himself up. Alongside the imperious man from before, Qiang, stood a small elderly man and a stately woman with carefully arched eyebrows, both wearing the same long, verdant robes as Qiang.
“Welcome, Stranger,” the elderly man said, his eyes disappearing beneath his bushy eyebrows as he smiled brightly. “How auspicious our meeting is.”
Riley nodded, smiling broadly in return as his mind whirled in confusion. The hell does auspicious mean?
“Hush, Xiao,” the woman said, folding her hands carefully in the sleeves of her robes. “His arrival has nothing to with your superstitions.”
Xiao merely chuckled, mischievous grin somehow growing even wider. “Time will tell, Meimei.”
“I’ve told you to stop— ”
“Xiao, Meihua; both of you cease,” Qiang interjected, silencing the bickering before turning his attention back upon Riley. “Young man, I’ll ask you again. Who are you and how did you find our Sect?”
Riley cocked his head, brow furrowing. “If you’re asking for my name, my mama gave me the name Griffith Riley Hawthorne III, but my buddies just call me Riley. As for your sect . . . well mama said not to affiliate with any strange religious groups wearing robes so I think it’s best if I get going.”
As Riley attempted to stand, a flash of pain erupted in his abdomen causing him to collapse to a knee. What the fuck happened? Ain’t nobody on Flordia State hits this hard! They’re all a bunch of soft ACC punk-ass bitches.
“Please, Young Ri Lee,” Xiao, the smiling man, said, resting a gentle hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Rest. We can discuss your leaving when you have recovered your strength on the morrow. The healers say you recover quickly. Although, if you’d be so kind as to entertain the curiosity of an old man, what caused you such grievous injuries?”
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Riley frowned, choosing to ignore the strange way the elder pronounced his name, instead focusing on what he last remembered. “Well, shoot mister, it was late in the fourth quarter of our rivalry game against FSU. The bastards had driven the field and we were facing a fourth in goal, goalline situation. Coach signaled in an all-out blitz to stop the run and I was plugging the A-gap.” Riley hesitated, his frown deepening. “And right as the ball snapped, I got the idea to just come flying in and jump over the big uglies up front and hit their QB before he handed the ball off. And I mean, shit, that’s what I did only I landed real bad. Head first right into the dirt.” Riley winced, remembering the horrible crack that had echoed in his ears right before blackness took over his vision. “But I made the tackle! So it was worth it, baby! Gators forever!”
As Riley devolved into a mad cackle followed by performing the Chomp for the trio of very confused sect Elders, the same trio exchanged a set of glances that spoke louder than words ever could.
This guy’s completely insane.
“My fellow Elders,” Qiang began, the perpetual frown upon his stern features deepening as he watched Riley perform the Chomp. “We cannot have such a distraction within our walls, not with the Southern Tournament approaching so soon. Our disciples need to remain focused not distracted by this strange . . . creature.”
Xiao was already shaking his head before Qiang finished speaking. “I disagree most grievously, dear Qiang. He is exactly what we need!”
Qiang’s eye twitched as he regarded the smaller elder. “And how is that Brother Xiao?”
“A stranger finds his way to our doorstep, amidst the most inhospitable lands within the province. He is large and muscular with incredible resilience. I can practically smell the potential. And weren’t you just saying some days ago how the sect needs more disciples?”
Meihua smirked, clearly enjoying Qiang’s attempts to stifle his building rage. “He’s got a point, Qiang. We do need more disciples. And while the Stranger has no cultivation, there is much potential within him. Even you must admit to that.”
“Fine,” Qiang spat, turning with a flash of his pristine robes as he made to leave the room. “But Disciple Ri Lee begins his training tomorrow, regardless of what the healers say. We shall test this alleged resilience of his that you speak of Brother Xiao.”
Riley paused mid-Chomp, turning to watch as the elder fled his room. “Why do I feel like I just missed something important?”
Xiao chuckled, leaning over to tossel Riley’s fiery hair before he and Meihua made to follow their fellow elder. “Don’t worry, Young Ri Lee. Get some rest. Your training begins on the morrow!”
Training? Riley thought, even more confused than usual. But Coach said I can’t practice with other teams . . . something about not paying any more legal fees?
Yet as Riley looked up to inform the Elders of such constraints placed upon him, he found himself alone in his room, nothing but the faint hint of a whisper of wind sliding through the lone window, bringing the tang of salt water with it.
“Man. Coach is gonna be so pissed.”