“Lie down on the cots and absorb the crystals to attain your Earth Attunement.”
As usual, the Clone’s approach, tone, and visage brooked no argument. But this time, they completely agreed and immediately lay down. Josh used his pillow, but Sen did not. Each reached for the brooch attached to their jumper, and their interfaces responded.
Do you wish to absorb Gaia’s Earth Crystal?
That is not really a question, is it? Sen mentally selected yes.
Josh must be rubbing off on me. His last thought as things began happening.
His skin tightened and became rigid. He tried to open his eyes to see if there was a color change to his skin, but his eyelids were stiff and unyielding. His heartbeat slowed down. Breathing became impossible. His heart, lungs, and other organs became stiff as concrete in his chest and abdomen. Suddenly, he was...different.
Sen was grand and majestic.
Standing in a vast field of summer flowers, bushes, and trees. Other than the sun shining down, Sen towered above all before him. Rivers flowed from him, bearing salmon that jumped only to be caught by hungry bears who had been waiting. Herd animals grazed on his lower reaches. Winds howled above him, freezing the ground, along with the plants and beasts foolish enough to venture there and try to grow and live. The moon reached overhead, and bats flew from his caves to scour the night for insects and small rodents. Lions sought unwary prey on his slopes. Seasons, years, millennia, millions, and billions of rotations of the sun and moon overhead. He was unchanging, and this was as it should be.
He was Earth.
The scene shifted. Sen was strong and undeniable. The mighty sea rested its great weight on him and raged as it frequently did for reasons uncertain. Always trying to escape him and his bounds, Sen easily kept even that monstrous power in its place. He was undeniable, and this was as it should be.
He was Earth.
Another shift. Sen was unstoppable. It was dark, and the pressure and temperatures built to uncontainable levels. Sen was going to move, and nothing would prevent him. He erupted from the ground announcing himself to all with the devastation of massive ash clouds and raining boulders. First, he arrived in a fiery shower. Then, a wide molten river. Surging from below to cover everything and everyone who stood in his way. He was unstoppable, and this was as it should be.
He was Earth.
The scene changed again. Sen was eternal. Rising from the depths, he allowed the lesser powers to wear away at him over time. He would evolve as all life did. But he only separated from his larger self in tiny fragments. Even when he allowed it, this was all any of the other lesser forces could change him. Minuscule traces of him circled the world in streams of air and currents of the water. Only to rejoin himself by rising once again from the world’s core. This time, it was even more glorious than the last. Sen was everlasting. And this was as it should be.
He was Earth.
Yes, I am! I’m unchanging, undeniable, unstoppable, everlasting...
1. Am. Earth!
Sen sat up with a start, covered in sweat and panting. How long have I been gone? Assuredly, his change had taken the life cycles of several iterations.
I am different. How could he not be, given what he had learned and experienced?
Sen had learned of the perpetual nature and the unstoppable forces of Earth Attunement. He had never experienced anything that made such an impression on him while an Immortal. And this gave him pause. His grandfather was right. Knowledge of the mortal foundation that led to Immortality was invaluable and irreplaceable.
Josh was there and looked over in concern at the sudden angst in his Karmically Bonded brother.
~You all right?~
Sen widened his eyes in amazement. ~Better than all right! You?~
Josh broadly smiled. His words were simple. ~I am Earth.~
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
That was enough confirmation for Sen that he and his brother had similar experiences absorbing the Earth Crystal. He raised his hand and looked. His soft, pink skin was unchanged from before the Attunement. Fingers moved. Muscles and tendons flexed. But the massive strength he felt, along with increased resilience, was undeniable.
“Yes, Senyak, changes have occurred. Along with significantly increased physical attributes, your core and free Essence capacities have also increased. Moreover, your Cultivation Probability Interface has matured alongside your increased spirituality.
“Inspect it now.”
Body
Earth Attunement:
100% probability of increasing your health status by 5000%.
100% probability of increasing the molecular density of your connective tissue by 780%.
Further increase your health status and connective tissue density by increasing your level and cultivation.
Psyche
Mortal level.
Spirit
Spherical cultivation level 48% of stage 2/7.
Weapon:
Titan Short Sword
Bladed Weapons Skill Level: Advanced (84%)
Damage:
Superior mundane
Quality: Mundane masterwork.
Allows interface guidance for optimal usage.
100% probability of 1500% increased damage vs. standard hand-to-hand.
Armor: None
Standard Earth Attunement resilience.
Physical Health Status:
100 → 5000/5000 Spherical cultivation units.
Free Essence:
60 → 1200/1200 Spherical cultivation units.
Significant improvements! Sen’s ‘health,’ as Josh called it, had increased by fifty times from what it had been. And his free Essence had increased by a factor of twenty. But remembering his vision— which seemed like the only way to describe it– he wasn’t surprised. Earth was indeed mighty and glorious. The descriptor unchanging – surfaced in his thoughts and mind... absolutely!
The molecular density of his connective tissue was... well, 780 percent greater. He guessed this was a lot as well. But, without his Ethos Combi, he had trouble qualifying this quantification.
I suppose I can just punch something really–
“We’re as denser than iron, brother!” Joshua shouted with the slightest gleam of madness in his eyes. “Look at this!”
And without preamble, he picked up a handheld firearm. One that Sen had trained with, a Glock 19, 9 mm. Sen didn’t get the chance to see which generation Glock it was, as Josh had immediately jammed the pistol’s muzzle against the cupped palm of his hand and fired three times. Filling the voluminous room with thunderous echoes. Still squinting his eyes at the smarting pain of the impacts, Josh dropped three flattened slugs and immediately exploded in excitement again.
“We’re bulletproof, Sen! Bulletproof... Okay, okay! The science side of my mind is insisting I point out that armor-piercing, large caliber, and very fast-moving rounds could still penetrate through to our organs and ruin our day... But for god’s sake, this is awesome! What will we be like as we continue to advance—”
“That is precisely what we will find out.”
The Clone interjected over Josh’s glee. They both reflexively quieted down and turned to his rippling sea of constantly changing shades of blue.
“It is time to further your spherical cultivation capacity. As you noticed, the Earth Attunement is primarily a boon to the physical side of your spiritual-physical bond. It will increase as your cultivation increases as well. The first step is to continue your core’s expansion by absorbing Essence from defeated spiritual beings.”
The Clone pivoted to focus his attention on Josh. “Joshua Elias Tanner, despite your significant shortcomings concerning combat capability, your rapid growth in response to Senyak’s brief instruction was improbable. Your shared Karmic Bond has increased your learning quotient to a greater degree than expected while training under him.”
Sen couldn’t help but notice that the smile on Josh’s mouth split his face in half. The Clone continued unfazed.
“Adjusting for this new growth model, probability predictions are definite that the quickest route to successful advancement is continued cultivatory growth synchronous with Senyak’s ongoing sword instruction. As such, you will be continuing both. Do so now!”
Josh looked at Sen with raised shoulders. ~No point in arguing about something we want to do, is there?~
Sen stifled a chuckle. ~None at all, brother. None at all.~
Senyak stood, and Josh was a step behind as he walked out to a marked-off area in the shape of an octagon approximately thirty feet in diameter. Sen stepped on a floor switch, and a glowing green translucent shield closed around them. A rack of training weapons with metal handles, leather grips, and translucent-green energy blades rose through the floor at the edge of the ring. Josh kept all of his light-saber jokes to himself. To Senyak, weapons training was a sacred art, and Josh now paid it the respect it was due.
Sen kneeled, and Josh followed suit. For the next ninety minutes, Sen reviewed what they had gone over previously. Then, they covered basic lunges, thrusts, and accompanying footwork. Because Joshua absorbed everything shown, Sen also introduced the concept of leverage for the sword fighter individually and against opponents. They also covered several techniques in creating the space required for the adequate usage of leverage in various situations.
They even got into some light sparring. Sen repeatedly demonstrated in what areas Josh misunderstood the concepts of the space needed to create fighting leverage, not only to launch his attacks but also to control his opponent’s weapon. By the end of the lesson, Sen had made it painfully clear to Joshua that these skills were indispensable if he ever wanted to defeat an armed combatant.
All the work and effort were to improve Joshua’s skills so Sen could help him get back to Sophie. Senyak’s gleeful and repetitive sweeping of Josh’s legs out from under him with the extended reach of a bo staff to ensure Josh didn’t miss any finer points had nothing to do with their first confrontation in the alley. That would be childish and counterproductive now that they understood each other. So, Josh took the beating silently and with the sharp-eyed good nature that someday his payday might come back around... after all, payback was a bitch, and even he acknowledged that Sen owed him one after Josh’s abrupt introduction of his overhand right.
The session eventually ended with Josh on the ground panting, bruised, and aching pretty much all over, despite being bulletproof. Sen helped him up, and they concluded with a bow of student to sensei.
Josh checked his status, walking back to the front where the Clone had reappeared at the close of their session.
Body
Earth Attunement:
100% probability of increasing your health status by 5000%.
100% probability of increasing the molecular density of your skin by 780%. Further increase your health status and connective tissue density by increasing your level and cultivation.
Psyche
Mortal level.
Spirit
Spherical cultivation level 47% to stage 2/7.
Weapon:
Titan Short Sword
Skill Level:
Junior Basic (10%)
Damage:
Below Average
Quality: Mundane masterwork. Allows interface guidance for optimal usage.
100% probability of 865% increased damage vs. standard hand-to-hand.
Armor: None
Standard Earth Attunement resilience.
Physical Health Status:
5000/5000 Spherical cultivation units.
Free Essence:
1200/1200 Spherical cultivation units.
The Clone wasn’t alone.