Hazy images are all around me as I concentrate on a specific dream for tonight. These are of my life, each one containing a memory of my existence. One of my training exercises is to review a memory each night. This in turn will help create a better spatial awareness by allowing me to build mental constructs within the recess of my own mind.
...At least it should, if it wasn’t so difficult in the first place. My father explained his first time using this technique, talking about how he instantly brought up the first time he met my mother. Explaining how even after thirty years, he was still able to use his incredible willpower to perfectly recall the exact details of his memories in his dreams. Down to the very last strand of hair on my mother's head.
Except, things were different for me. I don’t have the inhuman prowess my father is somehow able to always demonstrate. For him when he created this technique it came as simple as breathing. Of course I could attribute this to the fact that he too was much farther in his cultivation than I am currently but still. Sometimes being the youngest of three to the Patriarch you feel as if you must always live up to his standards, constantly striving for perfection in every menial task.
Anyways, the first time I tried this technique, all that was there were blurry images of memories that kept slipping my grasp each and every time I tried to call them forth to the front of my mind. It took six whole months before I was able to fully control the memories to surface to the forefront of my mind, though they were always recent ones, ones that would have been easy to remember anyway. But they never were of the crystal clear quality that my father would describe to me, so I had to keep trying until I perfected it before he allowed me to start on any true training of my other abilities. I remember his reasoning when I grew frustrated with my progress.
‘How can I trust you to learn if you cannot even recall what you have already been taught?’
By flexing my willpower I am able to call that memory forth, the scene becoming clearer with each loop revealing a single strike my father had demonstrated two years ago in the opening of the inter-clans tournament. It has taken me weeks to be able to get this clarity of this image. The only reason I was prioritizing this above the others is that it showcases some things I truly need to learn.
Being thirteen at the time I was still too young to compete in the sixteen to twenty five category, the earliest any of the clansmen are allowed to compete in.
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My father deftly disables his opponent, the Patriarch of the Fire clan, with a simple chop to the back of the neck. I remember this vividly for it is the first time I was able to witness my fathers battle prowess outside of our simple spars and while I know that chop was much more than a simple chop, the way he was able to pull it off so seamlessly was simply so profound. I can even remember the conversation we had when I was curious how he pulled it off so easily.
“Father, how were you able to use your chi so effectively to disable that man with one hit?” My then squeaky voice bouncing off of the coliseums resting lounge for the fighters.
My father, a gentleman to his family looks back at me with a warm smile.“Quinn, do you remember what makes us of the Mind clan so special?” He asks, patiently waiting for me to formulate my response.
“Umm...Oh I know! It’s because we can also use sikik energy as well?” I reply with a smile on my face, happy that I can recall something I learned last week.
“Yes that’s it! Except it is pronounced Psychic Energy. Anyways we are able to use this energy to easily invade our opponents mental scape if they don’t have an inherent defense to it. ” My father casually explains while sipping on some tea.
“But father, what happens if that didn’t work?” I ask with interest.
“Well, if he was able to evade the first strike, then I would have been able to trap him into an illusion if needed.” He sets down his tea and looks straight at me. “You see Quinn, we of the Mind Clan have a unique fighting style that isn’t centered around direct confrontation or even overwhelming force. No, we pride ourselves with our ability to effortlessly control the momentum of the battle with our large array of techniques that we can use to attack, defend, or just evade. It is only with the mastery of these techniques can we become truly invincible.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
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My training was interrupted when my mind was then transported to a perfectly white and pristine room with my father pacing back and forth in front of me, looking extremely worried. Since when is it possible to project people into your own mental scape through such long distances? I thought you had to be in physical contact for that to work?
The room is bare except for a stark white desk and the raised circular platform that I am currently standing on.
“Father?” I manage to croak out as our bodies in real life can easily affect the constructs we create of ourselves in here. Likewise the same could be said for the opposite.
My father seems to break out of his stupor and looks down at me for the first time.
“Ah Quinn,good. I seem to have been able to reach you after all. Wait just a moment for the others please.”
Others?
Suddenly four more platforms materialize right next to me followed right after with four forms. I can see that one is my mother, the only known living survivor of the Future Clan, the ones who were gifted with the sight to see beyond. Known to be an exquisite beauty, simply because of her unique fiery red hair and pale skin.
Then there is my brother, Mathus, second oldest of the Patriarch. Somewhat tall at an exact six feet, he would be intimidating if it was not for the fact that he was very gangly. He, like my mother, is gifted with the sight, allowing him to see certain realities that could be.
Next is my sister, Kara. She takes after my father, being able to match his prodigious use of our Mind clans arts. Her talent at learning and understanding the concepts that encompass our forms make her unparalleled against anyone of her age. Standing at around five foot eight inches, her dark brown hair is matched with olive skin, just like our father. However her demeanor says otherwise.
Finally, there is someone who I do not know. With his dark green eyes and brown hair and average appearances, he is someone who wouldn’t really stand out in a crowd. Wearing a ragged looking cotton shirt and pants to match, he does not appear to be anything special. But if my father wished to speak with him, then he must be important.
Seeing that everyone is here my father then begins with his explanation.
“Thank you all for accepting my summons to bring you here to my mental scape. As you all know your mother is able to glimpse the future, especially so when danger is soon to occur.” We can all guess where this is going.
“Well, about six hours ago she received a vision of an attack on the Mind clan. Our spies have confirmed this and as a precaution to the known attack, I am going to let my friend here take you away for a bit so you are not caught in the crossfire. Do not be afraid of him for I trust that man with my life.”
Shock runs through me at this very moment, to think, someone would have the gall to fight against the whole Mind clan.
“But father, even if you trust this man, do you truly think the children of the Patriarch should be running form such an attack? Where is the honor in that?” Kara vehemently declares.
“Kara, as the eldest you are unmatched in combat with any of your peers however, this is not simply some person who is looking to start a fight because we disrespected them.” My father cooly replies, steeling his reserve for what is to come next.
“If not for a fight just because some honor has been hurt, then what?” Kara asks confusion written on her face.
Suddenly Mathus, who up until this point has been relatively silent about this throws his head back and his eyes appear to have some sort of fire enveloping them. I rush to help him but my mother just stops me with one arm with her lips drawn in a thin line.
“Leave him Quinn, you brother is having a vision. Granted it is more dramatic than I have ever had he truly has the potential to be more powerful in the concept of foretelling than I ever will be.” My mother says, pride evident in her eyes.
Finally my brothers fidget subsides and he stares at all of us with wide eyes before answering Kara’s question.
“They mean to kill us all. Every last member of the Mind clan until there is no one left with our heritage.” My father nods his head towards mathus. “They are afraid. Afraid that if left unchecked our potential would become too great and ruin the precious balance that the clans have worked hard to achieve.”
A deathly silence has fallen in the room. Seeing this, the unknown man turns to us with a wide smile.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Arthur, I hail from a faraway place that is hard to describe to you but know that I used be in an adventuring party with your father before his rise to fame within his clan. Anyways, I am going to take you all somewhere no one will guess to look for you. You will have exactly thirty minutes before we will depart. Please grab everything you need ” The man casually explains and then winks out of existence.