A Touch of Destiny

Xa'Gun sat as instructed, cross-legged and his back straight.

Gorzoc kneeled in front of the runic circle, eyes level with Xa'Gun as he spoke, "This next part is going to be up to you, boy. All the preparation in the world can not do the work for you. Understand, Xa'Gun?"

Xa'Gun grunted in understanding.

"Good. Now listen to my instructions carefully, and then you will begin, as when you begin, it will just be you and the elements. You and the world."

Xa'Gun grunted, again.

"I don't know about human cultivation, and I don't want to, but whatever dribble they fed you, let it out your ear."

Xa'Gun grunted again, as his patience began to wane. Was he going to do this today, or should he come back tomorrow...

Thankfully, his thoughts were his own, and Gorzoc continued, "There are seven layers of cultivation. You don't have to remember this part for now, but they are Discovery, Gathering, Circulation, Direction, Conservation, Storage, and finally Transformation."

Gorzoc took a breath, and then called out to his daughter, "Mazoga, please bring some refreshments. I'm sure Jukky is parched as well."

Mazoga rose from her seat on the ground far away, as she went to collect what was asked.

"Continuing, the first layer of Orcish cultivation starts from 'Discovery.' The Discovery phase is just that. Feeling the existence of the world's energy. The world's life force, if you will."

Seeing that Xa'Gun was listening intently, Gorzoc continued again, "Once you have felt the world's energy, that's it. You are at the first layer and could be known to Orcs as a Fighter."

Xa'Gun gave a questioning grunt.

"You may speak." Gorzoc gave premission.

"Feeling Qi or world's energy... I know this is the first step, and so it must be done, but..."

"But what?"

"But how does simply discovering the world's energy makes me stronger. How can this relate to me being rated as a Fighter... Wasn't I fighting before I do this?" Xa'Gun asked all in one go everything that was on his mind.

Gorzoc continued to kneel while looking surprised at Xa'Gun. He then looked over to Jukzuk, who had respected Gorzoc's teaching and style, and thus did not interrupt, but Gorzoc could see Jukzuk's smug expression.

Shaking his head and returning back to Xa'Gun, he spoke, "When an orc discovers the world's energy, it's by feeling. But that feeling forms a connection with the world. Just forming a connection, no matter how small, will provide boons. Each orc feels it differently, but any manner of blessings can be granted by the world, such as quicker healing, more stamina, tougher skin, faster reactions, and so on. These boons are weak in the first layer of cultivation, such as small cuts might take only a day to heal or you could run eight kilometers in an hour, now you can do it in fifty minutes... The key here is that it becomes more apparent and more powerful the more you cultivate and the higher you go. Do you understand?"

Xa'Gun grunted with a sound of understanding that couldn't hide his excitement.

"Good, then close your eyes, and direct your focus to the ground beneath you, the air around you, even the moisture in the air. Feel it, seek it, and find your connection." Gorzoc finished and rose from his kneeling position.

It was at this time that Mazoga returned with refreshments. He took two tankards of fruit juice. He walked over to Jukzuk, handed him one, and took a seat next to him.

Mazoga sat far to the side with her tankard and a second one for when her sister Glasha returned from helping their grandmother.

Xa'Gun closed his eyes, and the world he saw was shut out from him.

In silence, he directed his attention down, instead of his usual up.

[Focus Xa'Gun, focus. Feel for the earth. Feel for the World... Feel, feel, feel...] Xa'Gun chanted within his mind. A different spin from his usual mantra when attempting to discover Qi from the heavens.

*******

"So Jukky, how long do you think this will take. Think he can finish today? Rex blood only stays fresh for so long, before I'll have to ask my mother to reapply it." Gorzoc asked while taking a sip of cool water.

"I have high hopes it will be today... If he doesn't today, there is tomorrow, but... come the day after..."

"Yes, the next set of matches."

Both Jukzuk and Gorzoc frowned, as they continued to watch Xa'Gun sitting silently among his ritual alter.

Glasha made her way back after leaving her Grandmother, and say down beside her sister, Mazoga.

"What did I miss?" Glasha asked as she took a tankard of water from her sister.

"Nothing really. Daddy explained the basics, and he just sat down about ten minutes ago."

"Oh, so I haven't missed anything, that's good," Glasha spoke, and then took a sip of water.

"Mazoga..."

"Hmmm...?" The elder sister rose her brow to her younger sister.

"Do you think it's a good idea to marry or be a concubine to a powerful orc?" Glasha spoke as she watched her water ripple in her tankard.

"That's sudden... Don't all true orcs wish for power? Powerful magics, powerful skills, powerful cultivation, and powerful mates. Why do you ask?" Mazoga mused, and then questioned.

"Grandmother warned me not to get attached to Xa'Gun," Glasha admitted.

"Something she seered?"

"Seems like it."

"Grandmother's hunches and spiritualism are powerful." Mazoga tilted her head, and the way she looked at Xa'Gun changed slightly, before she continued, "So the whole spirit naming thing was true. He'll become a powerful warrior, then."

"I think so..."

Both looked to each other, and then back to Xa'Gun.

"Well, let's just leave it up to fate then... If we entangle with him, there is a trade-off of sorts that will be due." Mazoga mused much like her father. It was a rare sight to see her not acting ditzy. This was her true self, which she only showed to her family, and not friends.

"More than just trading our bodies and hearts?" Glasha wondered.

"Grandmother once told me of a powerful elemental of the sea far to the west among the isles of the shattered lands. She said this would-be sea goddess gave a pearl of wisdom once..."

"Well, what is it...?" Glasha spoke as she watched Xa'Gun sitting.

"For what we want most... There is a cost that must be paid in the end." Mazoga divulged.

Glasha put her head in her hands while she continued to watch Xa'Gun while pondering what that cost might be...

*******

As Xa'Gun felt for the energy of the world, something roused.

[Hmmmm...?]

Xa'Gun furrowed his brows, as some sound passed through his mind. Some sound that was not his own thoughts...

Like a fishing line cast, a sudden intense tug on Xa'Gun's spiritual probe to the world was snatched. Deeper still did his spiritual sense get pulled down, and down still it went.

Touching upon the energy of the world was left long ago, as Xa'Gun's nose began to bleed.

Gorzoc stood quickly, noticing the bloody nose of Xa'Gun.

"Mazoga! Glasha! Go get your mothers!" Gorzoc shouted as Jukzuk saw the urgency and the nose bleed. He, too, knew what this meant, as he tossed his tankard...

"But-"

"Now! Go now! Close the shop, bring your mothers! Quickly!" Gorzoc shouted, as he and Jukzuk rapidly made their way to Xa'Gun.

Both elder orcs kneeled and placed both their hands on Xa'Gun's scarred back.

"Jukky, just what the hell is your son!?" Gorzoc began to pull the excess spiritual energy from Xa'Gun.

"Zukky, I'm at a loss... This... This concentration of spiritual energy is beyond me." Jukzuk replied as he too began to siphon the powerful energies, that Xa'Gun's body was pulling from the earth.

Both Gorzoc and Jukzuk gritted their teeth, as they directed these volatile energies back into the earth.

"Jukky, I'm a fucking warlord ranked cultivator, and this is beyond me!" Gorzoc's voice showed a rare display of panic.

It was at this time that both of Gorzoc's wives, Shoragah and Yazganna, hurried to see what was the matter.

Seeing the ritual circle and what Gorzoc and Jukzuk were doing, the two understood that Xa'Gun, their husband's newest disciple had fallen into cultivation madness. Swept by the powerful world's energy, he would be filled until his spirit broke. This would cause brain death...

Shoragah placed her hands on her husband's back and began to siphon the energies from him as well, relieving him of some of his burdens.

"Sorry, Jukky, but I'll have to place my hands on you." Yazganna placed her hands on Jukzuk's back and began to pull the energies as well.

Through gritted teeth, Jukzuk spoke, "It's... alright."

Mazoga and Glasha both trotted back out to see what all this was about. They both watched as the four elder orcs glowed with a dull yellow light.

*******

As the sun overhead began to dip behind the mountains, it was at this time that the powerful earth energies began to settle down.

Shoragah and Yazganna both collapsed behind Gorzoc and Jukzuk.

Jukzuk removed his hands from Xa'Gun's back, as he fell to his bottom upon the stone altar.

Gorzoc continued to kneel, but he removed his hands, as he huffed his breath, his lungs burned with the desire for more oxygen.

Xa'Gun slumped over and let out a snore.

Jukzuk sighed hearing his son's easy breathing.

Gorzoc looked over to his long-time friend, Jukzuk, as he spoke, "That was close..."

"But why would Xa'Gun be able to skip discovery and step straight into Gathering?" Jukzuk continued to wonder, as he spoke aloud his thoughts.

"That... That too, I don't know." Gorzoc turned to take care of his wives, "Mazoga, please bring some dampened clothes, and Glasha, please bring some salted fruit juice."

Both daughters nodded and trotted to get the requested items.

"Jukzuk, I think... I think we didn't need my mother's altar."

"What?"

"I think Xa'Gun would have been just fine on his own. The alter allowed too much too fast."

"But... His age?" Jukzuk couldn't help but comment.

"I believe... Xa'Gun is simply favored by the world."

"What does that mean for the future?"

"Favored doesn't mean loved, Jukzuk. We need a powerful shaman."

"Your mother?"

"I'll ask again if she will assist."

"We must be quick about this, as the day after tomorrow is the next match."

Both elder orcs nodded to each other.