Josh needed no further encouragement, but Senyak acted first.

Josh saw that Sen was cycling Essence from his core into his hands. His opposite index fingers and thumbs were touching each other end to end in a triangle at his core level, and a steady golden glow had begun spreading out from his hands. The intention was to cover him in some form of Essence shield. But its spread moved slowly. Much too slowly!

Josh had cycled Essence through his right arm and fist and stepped forward with his left foot. He twisted at the hip and threw an overhand right square into Senyak’s left cheek and jaw. Like Josh’s instructors had taught him as a boy on Chicago’s South Side, he simply intended to punch a hole through Senyak’s face. A face that Josh noted with pleasure was far from the spreading Essence shield.

Thusly smashed, Sen was lifted from the ground and hurtled into the brick wall behind him as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. The short monk slid into a pile of askew limbs like a broken folding chair. Punch-drunk, Sen unintelligibly mumbled while struggling ineffectually to get up.

Josh flexed his fingers. They didn’t even tingle. Punching like that, even in his twenties when he used to box, would have bruised or broken the distal ends of his carpals and possibly his proximal metacarpals. Especially if he had let loose like that without gloves. Now in his forties, with Essence, he was ready to throw down bare-fisted–

Carpals and metacarpals… I used to think those were some kind of fish . . . More sciency crap... What is going on with you, Josh–

“Senyak, cycle Essence to your wounds so that we can proceed.”

The Clone’s command interrupted Josh’s quizzical thoughts. Though Josh caught the Clone’s gaze lingering on him. Still, focusing on what Ole’ Blue said was better than him mentally channeling every basic science book he had ever held in his hands.

“Joshua Elias Tanner, you used approximately two percent of your available free Essence with your strike and suffered no damage by striking with the appendage you were cycling Essence through. Correct?” The Clone raised his brows. “... Confirm that your Essence indicator reflects the two percent expenditure.”

Josh looked at the blue bar. “Yes... it’s lower by a small amount, less than five percent.”

“Good. Your offense and defense were both improved with appropriate economy. This result is exemplary at this stage.”

Sen cycled his Essence, and his movements immediately began to reflect those of a creature with a nervous system more developed than a colony of coral polyps. He slowly rose, and Josh could see his facial bones reforming as his left cheek and jaw snapped and crackled. New teeth coming from above pushed out the shattered ones. Sen bent over and spat out several broken pieces, roots and all!

Rising again, he cast a wary glance at Josh. But he made no move to continue their “practical application.”

The clone turned to Sen, shaking his head disapprovingly. “Senyak. Just as Joshua Elias Tanner needs to learn that his universe is a negligible part of the greater multiverse, you need to realize that you are no longer an Immortal with unlimited power... Your attempted spirit shield’s mortal equivalent is at least one step of advancement beyond where you currently are in the Spherical Tier. You must quickly grasp the imperfection of your mortality. Furthermore, an Essence shield to your face and left shoulder would have been sufficient to counter Joshua’s blow. Be aware that in the mortal realm, ‘quick and dirty’ will usually beat ‘perfect and complete.’

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Sen turned his eye line to the ground in obvious shame at his performance. Point made, the Clone moved on. “By my assessment, you lost fifteen percent of your physical wellness bar, which has since been restored, along with twelve percent of your Essence. Six percent in your misguided attempt to form an Essence shield beyond your cultivation and six percent for the follow-up healing. Please confirm that your Cultivation Probability Interface has reflected these changes.”

Sen looked the Clone in the eyes with his hands behind his back. “Yes. It is as you say.”

“Good. We will now proceed to the gathering of Essence to advance your cultivations. However, you have exceeded the most likely anticipated probabilistic expectations and shortened the instruction period by approximately 3 minutes and 47 seconds of mortal Earth time. I will allow you to ask any pertinent questions you have before we move on.” The Clone raised both eyebrows, giving the appearance that he welcomed all questions.

Josh stepped closer to the Clone, and even though his eyes burned while doing it, he stared into its constantly involuting, multi-azure-hued face. “I need to get to my daughter. I need to see her. When can I do that?”

The Clone’s glowing countenance darkened. His lips pursed before he responded. “... Joshua Elias Tanner, you are four aspect doorways away from your iteration of origin. Specifically, you are four dimensions away from her. As such, your daughter Sophie is very much out of your reach. Yo—”

“--What! How can you... Why would you take her from me like this?! Is this your idea of balancing the cosmic scales?! What have I done to you to deserve this!?!” Joshua’s fist clenched, and his thoughts quickly shifted toward violence. Though he specifically didn’t move toward the Clone, Josh did take an unconscious step toward Sen as his Essence continued cycling through his fists as if he was going to beat an aspect doorway out of his hide.

The Clone’s complete attention was turned to Josh, though his tone was of a man discussing old news and unnecessary topics. “Joshua Elias Tanner, understand that neither Zenyak Marztanak nor I have done anything to you other than save you from the complete dissociation of your soul tether from your physical body. As I have already told you, this will result in your total expungement without hopes of rebirth. Would you prefer we allow that probable eventuality to minimize your mental anguish? Do you feel that Karmic balance would be better served through your death than your renewed chance at life?”

Emotions warred for control in Josh. Anger, stunned surprise, denial, before finally settling on abject hopelessness. His mouth worked without any sound as he dropped to his knees. Tears silently streamed down his cheeks. Josh’s Essence continued to cycle through his fists faster and faster, and he held them out over a head that had dropped below his shoulders in despair. There he stayed, back heaving with his sobs.

Several quiet moments went by with Josh’s head hung.

Only the Clone was aware of the cacophony of agony filling Josh’s mind. His spirit screamed, cried, and begged to the gods and angels, demons and devils– To anyone who would listen for what he had just heard not to be true...

... But just as it had been on Earth when his family had been taken from him, the heaven’s only response was resounding silence and mind-blanking, all-consuming feelings of loneliness that were steadily pushing Josh to accept the Clone’s other option–

Then, unexpectedly, even by the Clone if the sudden turn of his head turn was any indication, a hand rested on Josh’s shoulder, and Sen spoke quietly.

“... I can’t understand the loss you feel... I have no progeny nor an overwhelming desire to protect anyone–But I know that even mortal cultivators can travel between the iterations once they have ascended through the ranks far enough. They can even bend the laws of time and space with significant enough advancement. It is not at all impossible for us to find a way back to your daughter as we rise.” An air of hope had entered the somber tone of voice Sen had started speaking with.

“I recognize my part and my failings that ended in this separation. As such... I, Senyak Marztanak, sole seeded heir of the Marztanak Hegemony, swear to you, my Karmic brother. I will not rest until we have grown strong enough to find a way back to your Sophie.”

Unbidden from either Senyak or Josh, Essence traveled from Senyak’s channels into Josh’s shoulder meridians and froze, in place burning in immediacy. Josh became aware of a Calling on his being that was as certain as black neckties at John Gotti’s funeral. It reached from far, far beyond the sky he could see above him and drilled directly into his mind, his heart and his core. If Josh accepted Senyak’s help, there was no doubt he would be united with Sophie again... But what would be required for this was more than he could currently, maybe ever, comprehend. Without doubt, the Calling’s insistence carried the weight of all ages, and right now, as close as Josh could come to meeting it was to mumble, “... Everything... I’m being asked to give my everything to get back to my daughter?”

Josh squinted as he looked past Sen’s shoulder into the sky and spoke directly to whoever or whatever had made this demand. Gods, devils, or Indian chiefs… it didn’t matter. A fierceness had replaced the hopeless tears that still slid down his cheeks as he responded with an emotionally raw voice in the only way that made sense. “... That’s not even a question, is it!?!”

Apparently satisfied with Josh’s current willingness... Sen’s Essence continued along its original path. Cycling through his brain, heart, and core. There it combined with an equal amount of Josh’s Essence and flowed back to Senyak’s hand. Then it left both of their bodies and lit the alley around them with a warm golden light before slowly being absorbed back into the universe.

Josh’s probability interface chimed—

Karmic link advanced. Full Karmic Soul Bond formed.