A delicious aroma barged into Azura’s bedroom and dove down her nose. It tugged on every smell receptor as it wiggled further inside crawling down to its ultimate goal. Only half of the drool escaping from her mouth was now from sleep. Once the aroma reached her stomach it did a dance that was more like a seizure on cocaine. The explosive gurgle from her stomach snapped Azura’s eyes open. Moving faster than magic Azura burst out the door in an azure flash. Instantly she was at the table, a fork in hand, her mouth ajar with a tiny trickle of drool pooling on her chin.
Not dissimilar to cat fixed on a mouse her gaze never left her mother as she flipped a massive steak over in a pan. The sizzling of the meat as it splashed down brought a tear to her eye which was the only time she blinked. Ten agonizing minutes later the delectable dish was in front of her.
“I love you so much!” Azura cried as she cut a piece that was far too big for her mouth. Despite all the laws of reality indicating such an action was physically impossible, she shove the meaty brick into her mouth. Fortunately the mana beast was so tender it fell apart and slide down her throat.
“It’s so good!” Azura cheered once her mouth was clear enough for speech that more resembled a barely intelligent mumble.
“I giving up on teaching you proper manners,” Coralline said sadly as her daughter once again filled her mouth to 120% of maximum capacity.
She eyed her daughter carefully. “You were pretty tired yesterday. Are you all better now?”
Azura her mouth too full to respond did pause and examine in her mana well. As expected her mana was still mostly exhausted. However, as she watched she noticed something odd. The mana from the meat didn’t enter her pool. Her own mana was far denser. It did however re-energize part of her dense mana before seeping out of her. The ratio wasn’t great. It took about 10 parts of the meat’s mana to recharge 1 part of hers but it did help.
“I might need another nap later before I can go out,” Azura said once her mouth was clear.
“Go out?” Her mother asked. “You’re grounded for a month. I thought I told you that already.”
“You were serious about that?!” Azura cried tears forming in her eyes.
“Don’t give me that look.”
“So I can only go out for my lessons?” Azura asked.
Coralline hesitated a second. “There are no more lessons for now. With the crisis going on they were shut down.”
At least a small bit of good news, Azura thought.
“However, I have different plans,” Coralline said smugly and Azura gulped. “You said your magic enhances your body right?
“…yes.”
“Well Fatania and the others came over this morning while you were asleep. We discussed it and put together a training regimen for you.”
This was bad! What was she going to do? Her mother gave her an evil smile. Azura knew she had to do something or her precious childhood was over!
“I, I need to time to work on my magic,” Azura said.
“Oh I figured as much. You were spending a lot of time in your room. So during your physical training you will use no magic at all. Since you said it has to recharge. Your training will be in the mornings and then after lunch you can work on your magic. I’ll give you a free day once a week.”
“But…I want to spend time with my friends,” Azura wailed.
“They’re going to join you. They wanted to be heroes, well they have to prepare for the part.”
“So cruel…” Azura whispered.
“Exactly,” Her mother grinned at her. “Now finish your food. Then head over to Burton’s place. Your training begins today. Remember no magic.”
Burton, Gerald’s father, ran a smithy. He wasn’t a great smith nor a bad one. He was the kind of smith everyone needed. Horseshoes? No problem. Axel broken. Leave it to Burton! Punish willful cat-kin girls who constantly got in trouble? Well, that was just fun.
The orc lord gleefully mocked his prisoners.
“Only three more laps!” He called to the poor sweet innocent cat-kin girl who never did anything wrong. Next to her the rabbit-kin was crawling the heavy weights strapped to his body taking its toll. The rat-kin was fairing even worse as he had already collapsed unmoving. She wept frustrated tears at his loss but knew she must push on. What choice was there? If she didn’t move, she would remain in this nightmare forever. Or at least till lunch, which was practically forever. The only one of their group who could handle the load was Gerald who trotted past Azura. The fool had a grin on his face. Blood traitor!
One step after another Azura went on nearing the end. Azura’s vision narrowed as she barely managed to complete the final lap. The sacks with discarded metal bits fell from her shoulders as she collapsed panting. Toren hadn’t finished his last lap. He laid around the back of the house unmoving. Hamal was squished like a pancake.
“Well now do you feel all energized after a good workout?” Burton asked.
“You said it pa!” Gerald said.
Azura didn’t even have the energy to maintain her orc lord prisoner fantasy. She couldn’t even muster up foul names for Gerald… she would have to do that later.
“Come on you lot! The warm up is over. Time to get started.”
Azura looked up at the sadistic bear-kin. Surely he must be joking… he was not.
Two hours later and Azura couldn’t feel her arms or any other part of her anatomy. She had to double check to verify that she was still in one piece. Yet the cruelty of her day was far from over. After the beating at Gerald’s house the weary party went to Hamal’s. This was slightly less torturous that the previous session.
“Hiyaa!” Azura cried as she punched Gerald in the chest. It had slightly more effect than a grasshopper’s fart. The bear-kin looked down then back up. He proceeded to hand chopped Azura on the head.
“Ow!” Azura cried falling to her knees.
“Always move,” Fatania sighed. “You’re smaller than Gerald you need to be swift. Dash around and get a few jabs in. Never stay still.”
“He’s not moving,” Azura complained. “And this mail shirt is heavy. It’s too hard to move.”
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“He’s a bear-kin,” Fatania said. “You’re a cat-kin. Speed is your greatest asset. And the shirt is for training. If you can move fast with that on then you’ll be even faster with it off.”
“But Gerald doesn’t have one,” Azura whined.
“Stop complaining. He has his own objective.”
That was true on top of Gerald’s head was a cup he had to keep balanced as Azura tried to knock it off. The way Fatania described it this would increase the bear-kin’s awareness and balance. For Azura it would be practice for her speed and precision. Although slowed by the shirt she wasn’t much faster than Gerald.
Azura sighed. This day wasn’t much fun. Gerald, seeing Azura’s dishearten look, raised his hand for a pause as he got a contemplative look on his face.
“How about we make a game out of it,” Gerald said.
“Fatania said this was a game already,” Azura pouted.
Gerald grinned. “How about I’m an evil dragon-kin and atop my head rests the Kin’s Crown! The legendary artifact that can make any mage shit their pants if they come within 10 feet. Your mission is to recover the artifact and use it to defeat the mages once and for all.”
Azura just looked at the smiling bear-kin. Then slowly she smiled as well. She closed her eyes diving into the fantasy.
The scorched earth lay around her as molten rock flowed in a nearby river. The air was heavy with sulfur from constant lightning strikes, which made breathing a challenge. Fortunately the chain mail of easy breathing allowed her to persist in this hellish zone. After three years of constant trials, which would have broken lesser kin, she stood before the king of dragon-kin, Tuffles!
“No, I want to be called Talgore,” Gerald interrupted. “Also lightning strikes don’t make a sulfur smell.”
“It does too!” Azura argued
“Does not,” Gerald said.
“Does too.”
“Does not.”
“Let’s just pretend okay?” Azura said.
“Okay…”
The dragon-kin Talgore towered above the blue cat-kin warrior, the last of her people. He had mercilessly killed her entire clan and now it was time for her revenge. The pink dragon-kin
“Black,” Gerald interrupted again.
“Pink!” Azura demanded.
Gerald crossed his arms.
“Fine!” Azura scoffed.
…The black dragon-kin, who was secretly pink, laughed as the cat-kin approached.
“The mightiest cat-kin is a small girl! Truly your kind is as worthless as a mage’s droppings!”
“Hey!” Azura interrupted.
“What?” Gerald asked.
“That’s not nice!”
“Of course not I’m an evil dragon-kin.”
“Still…”
“We’ll never get this fantasy going if you keep interrupting,” Gerald said flatly, the cup on his head rattling slightly.
“You’re the one who interrupted before.”
“You knew I would when you made those silly additions.”
“A pink dragon-kin named Tuffles would have been cute,” Azura argued crossing her arms.
“It’s not supposed to be cute.”
“I’ll show both of you cute, if you both don’t get started,” Fatania barked shaking her fist.
“Okay,” the pair said in unison.
After a verbal sparring session that was so epic that the landscape itself was devastated by the remarks, Azura the last cat-kin champion, launched herself at Talgore. She feinted and weaved, striking his abdomen before reaching up high. If she could just take his crown the dragon-kin would lose most of his power. Yet the blow affect the mighty dragon-kin not at all. With casual ease he swatted aside her reaching hand. With his other arm Talgore swung low determined to rid himself of this nuisance once and for all. Azura cursed the need for the magical chainmail as she barely dodged to the left. Twisting with all her might she evaded the next blow which had enough force to shake the land. The land kept trembling as Azura stumbled away, then Talgore stumbled his crown falling to the ground to shatter. Yet the ground kept trembling…
“What’s going on?!” Azura shouted as the ground shook.
“Earthquake!” Fatania shouted.
Just as quickly the shaking ceased. The eerie silence was only disturbed by frighten birds taking flight.
Loric stood up from his pretend tea party with Elise when the trembling started.
“What’s happening Daddy?” The girl asked jumping into his arms. He didn’t answer as he began sweating. His gaze was immediately drawn to the west. For he knew the mists were surging once more.
The rest of Azura’s training with Fatania went without incident. The minor quake, which happened every few years, didn’t do any significant damage to the city. Indeed to the kin it was a normal event. They were never made privy to the significance of the tremors. They never knew that the corruption was drawing ever closer. As they did not know this they continued on as if nothing had happened even as mages scrambled knowing that the reach of the mists had just grown.
The next training was at Toren’s house. It was by far the worst trial yet. The agony was beyond comprehension and Azura knew she could go on no farther. The weight training at Burton was difficult but bear-able. Azura chuckled at the mental pun. The sparring at Fatania was slightly fun if she could add in her own flourishes. But this training… It was just cruel.
“Your penmanship needs more work Azura,” Alenina said. “And you too Toren.”
“But mom,” Toren whined. “It’s good enough.”
“It’s not. You all need work, except for Hamal. Good job Hamal.”
The rat-kin preened at the compliment. Azura glowered.
“Try again,” Alenina said dropping off fresh paper. “After this, its mathematics.”
Azura panicked at the declaration. Perhaps she could do more weight training instead…
By the time Azura got home for lunch she was exhausted. She had gotten up early and had been moving non-stop. Only the amazing breakfast she had kept her on her feet. When she came in through the door the smell of another mana beast steak greeted her.
“Welcome home,” the delicious smell said. With spectral hands it cradled Azura’s head lifting her off the ground. Then gentle as a babe it carried her to the table. Her mother might have been speaking too but she couldn’t focus on it. Indeed she was halfway through her meal before she notice the words directed at her.
“Are you even listening to me?” Coralline asked exasperated.
Azura nodded frantically.
“Oh? What did I say then?”
Once her mouth was empty, which took several minutes, Azura answered.
“You said. ‘Are you even listening to me?”
Her mother gave her a flat look. Azura gave her mother her most innocent expression before shoving more food in her mouth.
“Are you at least listening now?” Coralline sighed. Azura nodded.
“I was telling you that Fatania has already sold the meat. We have set up a free soup station for kin that can’t afford the food prices. I was just telling you that I’m proud of you.”
Azura beamed.
“But you’re still grounded.”
Azura’s beam turned to a scowl.
“You will have to spend the rest of the day at home.”
Azura nodded in resignation. At least she would have plenty of time to work on her magic.
The meal done Azura went to her room and began cultivating. She cultivated for several hours until the bed shifted as a weight settled in next to her. Opening her eyes she found her mother looking at her speculatively.
“I’ve been checking on you. It looks like your magic practice involves mediation?” Coralline asked.
“Sort of,” Azura said. “It requires focus but it’s becoming easier. I want to get good enough I can do it without every trying.”
“Hmm,” Coralline said chewing on her lip. “Come out to the living room with me.”
“Uh okay,” Azura said.
When they left her room Azura saw her mother moving tables around making a large open space. Unsure what was going on, Azura waited as her mother finished up.
“Come here and do what I do,” Coralline said and began moving strangely. Azura struggled to follow at first. It was like a dance, but not. Each movement led into the next seamlessly. Their hands where in the shape of knives their stances low taking advantage of strong legs and tails to keep balanced. It was ten minutes into the routine before Azura realized this was some type of combat form.
“What’s this?” Azura asked as they continued.
Coralline, her eyes closed, kept moving as she spoke. “Have you ever heard of martial arts?”
“No,” Azura answered.
“Some kin practice them. Each kin type have their own style to take advantage of our attributes. Our style kicks with our claws and sharp jabs.” To emphasize this point she moved into a slow series of kicks where her feet claws extended out slashing the air. This was immediately followed by a knife jab that would be deadly thanks to her long nails. Azura followed as best she could although she lacked any of her mother’s long nails.
“I do this when I need to think,” Coralline said. “My mother taught me long ago before I left the village. I’m not very good but I always found this relaxing.”
Azura eyebrow raised. Her mother didn’t often speak of her village or of her own mother. Apparently something happened and she had to leave. Azura learned not to ask as her mother would become gloomy afterwards.
“I’m showing you this, because it might be useful in your magic training. Give it a try.” Coralline said.
Azura frown but obeyed. She accessed her mana pool. With each step she took she folded her mana. With each jab or thrust she pressed her mana compressing it further. Soon, a rhythm started. Azura was lost in the motion and closed her eyes. Only the movements of her body and the mana inside her existing. It was beautiful. It gave her cultivating something that she had been lacking. As her magic enhances the body now for the first time it went the other way. Her body began to help enhance her magic. It always had indirectly restoring her exhausted mana but now it improved it as well. With each step her mana moved with her becoming thick, purer, better.
“Dinner,” a voice called. Just like that all thoughts of magic were gone. All thoughts of anything beyond eating were banished. As somethings changed others did not. And so Azura’s routine was settled as events far away began to move.