Chapter 118

Lykan

A Disciple

For someone who was as cut off from the world as Lykan was over the last seven years, having someone to talk to was a great feeling. While he knew the dwarf by his side followed him mostly due to hero worship, he felt that this in and of itself was not a bad thing. While he felt he could never have a true romantic relationship with such a person, there was something deeper he was looking for. He wanted a personal connection that would help him go beyond the confines that he currently found himself in.

While he found a few new leads on ways to find Titan Labyrinths to shut down, he still needed more. His first discovery was that most, if not all, dwarven settlements were built upon the bones of Titan Labyrinths. If this were true, then it meant a quick way to map out some of the missing titan strongholds would be to find a map of dwarven settlements and investigate.

Lykan could tell from a distance that this particular settlement, Mezrathurin, radiated qi. In fact, it was so dense that creatures that didn’t have the basic tolerance against qi, would likely perish. This was likely why this city didn’t see invading forces too often. This would also mean that Clevarall might not have a labyrinth beneath, though Brenna noted that she had been inside the labyrinth beneath Clevarall. So many thoughts went through Lykan’s mind that he didn’t even realize he was at a training center, until he and Brenna were both caught inside a large circular room that came to light almost immediately.

Seeing the room Lykan’s heart began to beat rapidly. For years he had looked for a training center like the one he found in his home village of Abberty. The only problem was, while he was able to find such a room in other labyrinths, none of the others worked. Or at least not well enough to teach Lykan anything new.

Still this was a good time, as he turned to look at Brenna.

“What…what is happening?” Brenna asked as the room around them began to come to life.

It was at this time that Lykan looked at Brenna, truly looked at her and for a moment he hoped he could see the real her. He had thought about this, having a dwarven companion who could follow him would be great. But having a dwarven companion who could wield qi, right alongside him, would be better.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself and hopefully relieve some of the tension he was now feeling. He locked eyes with the smaller female and asked.

“You said you want to follow me on my journey?”

Brenna tried to speak, but it was clear the words caught in her throat. From a glance it was clear she was frightened, though Lykan couldn’t quite figure out why. He had tried to tone back the seriousness of his gaze, but even with him trying to hold back his excitement at the possibility of having a true companion, a true equal, with him he felt fear. Brenna for her part steeled herself and nodded. This was a fine response for Lykan, as he could tell she was absolute in her conviction.

“To go on a journey with me, you will need to get stronger. This is a training room. One where we can learn the war arts of the true enemy of the gods. Arts we will need if we are to stand a chance against the ancient enemy. Do you wish to join me on this path?” Lykan asked, mentally chastising himself for being too forward. He had claimed too much, there was no way anyone would follow such crazy words.

“Yes!”

The words caught Lykan by surprise. He looked at the female before him, and saw the look of determination in her eyes. Determination and something else. She was resolute in her conviction. Better still her entire demeanor spoke of an absolute trust in him. Not wanting to press the matter, but wanting to make sure she understood he pressed the topic.

“You are okay with my explanation? You don’t think me crazy for even offering such a proposition?” Lykan asked.

Brenna paused for a second as she gathered her thoughts, then proceeded to answer. “I have known you were the messenger of heaven from the moment you interposed yourself before the Grand Marquise Temple and squared off against the Legion of the Horde. You had no fear, no rage, just true resolve.”

Breathing in deeply to calm herself, Lykan was surprised that Brenna managed to pull in a few motes of qi that were floating around her. After taking in the qi, she visibly calmed down and continued. “We were dead. We all knew it, even the children. We prayed in that temple for five days and nights. Then on the sixth day, when the walls broke and all hope was lost, you were there. You caused an earthquake, one that ate up most of the central district, but the temple still stood. Until we were all free and clear of the rubble, only then did it fall. A sign that it was no longer needed. As for you, you flew around like a guardian angel offering protection as we made our way forward through the legion of enemy forces. None of whom dared to stop our departure. So, yeah. When you say you are a champion of the gods who is willing to teach me to help you fight against the enemies of the Gods, I believe you. I figure it is only just to return the favor to the gods who were so good to me and my people.”

Hearing the story from Brenna’s perspective, he couldn’t help but see her point. He also couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, if he was to take her in and teach her to be his disciple she would join under false pretenses. Wanting to fix this right from the start, Lykan began.

“Just to be clear. I do not now, nor will I ever claim to be a messenger of the gods. Their intents and motives are beyond me. I am, or at least was just a man who did actions that the gods deemed worthy of blessing me for. I have a few theories, that might seem crazy without demonstration. That said, if you are willing to listen.” He paused for a half second as he readied himself for rejection. “Then know I am willing to teach you what I have learned. The world is in danger. These labyrinths, as they currently are, are dangerous. The creatures below are monsters that could destroy whole ecosystems if left to go to the surface…” Lykan trailed off, this was not the way his first recruitment speech was to go.

Taking a deep calming qi filled breath. Lykan paused, then started his real speech.

“This is your last chance to turn away. If you stay from here on, I will be your instructor. I will teach you how to fight the beasts of the enemies of the gods. Do you still wish to continue this path with me?”

“Yes!” Without even waiting for a pause Brenna nearly screamed in excitement. This was the enthusiasm of youth, but one Lykan understood all too well. Closing his eyes and preparing himself mentally for what was to come next he paused. Then opening his eyes, his eyes glowed with the red-glow of qi.

“See my eyes, this is the glow of qi. This is the energy used by the enemy of the Gods, beings once spoken about as Titans. This Labyrinth, or Dungeon as you call it. This place and the monsters here were built by the Titans to corrupt the planet with qi. Qi is anathema to mana. If the two mix within your body it will cause a not too pleasant explosion that could destroy your soul if not careful. I was hit with one such attack and it took years and multiple blessings from the gods to fix. Even now I cannot wield mana, but I think that is part of the Gods’ plan for me. See I have learned to pull in and harness qi. I have also seen you take in qi yourself, though I think you are doing so unconsciously. This is good, as it will make what I have to teach you next much easier to understand.”

Seeing the sudden shift Brenna visibly flinched at first, but was soon drawn in by Lykan’s mannerisms and soothing cadence. Even while speaking the normally gruff dwarven language sounded melodic coming from his mouth. She found she could listen to him for hours if given the chance.

Once the introduction was complete, Lykan began going through the basics. Beginning with the meditation pose. Then showing her how to breathe. She felt awkward as he grabbed her and physically moved her into place. Not that he touched her at anywhere inappropriate, but that he touched her at all. His touch felt somehow, right, but she quickly focused on the task at hand.

At one point Lykan chirped in a melodious tune like a song bird. Shortly afterward numerous red dots appeared to be floating in the air.

“There we go. This training room has highlighted the ambient qi particles in the air. Now I want you to take in a breath and imagine drawing in the red qi particles into you.” Lykan continued his lesson without allowing for a single response from Brenna.

This was fine for Brenna, as she barely understood what she was doing. The only thing she cared for was that Lykan was sitting across from her in the same pose doing exactly as he requested of her. By watching him, she could see that he was drawing in qi with every one of his breaths.

With a shock she realized that he was able to stare and appraise her actions while sitting and meditating. Something she was unable to do, as was evident by the shaking of Lykan’s head.

“Begin again.” Was all he said.

Only after a pause did Brenna realize that she had been so caught up in looking at Lykan and his intense gaze that she failed to take in qi with her breath. Sighing inwardly at the slip, she vowed to do better.

She would continue until her mind began to slip.

“Begin again.”

Frustrated, she shook her head and breathed in deep angry breaths at first. Until finally she was able to calm herself once more and fall into her steady rhythm.

“Anger will not get you anywhere with this. Calm down and let the qi flow naturally.” Lykan offered, his words calming and reassuring.

Brenna focused for what felt like hours, though telling the passage of time in the room was nearly impossible. The only thing she had to go on normally when she was this deep was her own body’s need for sustenance, but even that seemed to be off as she was oddly satiated. As a growing dwarf she was normally ravenous after hours of intense focus, and this was intense. But the odd thing was, the more she improved with this breathing task, the less hunger she felt. She was just about to ask about this, but her thoughts were cut off by Lykan speaking.

“Good job. Now continue to breathe in qi while you raise to a standing position.”

Brenna did as she was instructed, being ever so sure to continue focusing on pulling in qi with each breath. Once she was standing Lykan was up and nodded in approval at her. Then he moved close.

“You have passed the first step the meditation poses. From this point on, when I say begin again, you will go back to the meditation pose and take one hundred breaths to collect yourself. Before beginning what action I have you on. As for now, you will walk around the room and breath in qi.”

Brenna watched, but to her surprise even while talking she saw qi particles constantly being pulled into Lykan’s body. He even took a few steps forward gesturing at the qi that was being drawn into his body like he was a void. It was so impressive of a sight that Brenna lost focus for a second. She was about to pretend like she didn’t have the lapse in thought, but a quick disapproving shake of the head showed her that she had been caught.

“Start again.” Lykan said. As he spoke he too dropped to the ground and stared at Brenna. He was already in the meditation pose, a posture Brenna quickly mimicked. With that the two spent their first few nights learning about the ways of qi.

At first Lykan watched over her every breath, until finally she could move about with no problem. Once he was certain she would follow the guidelines and restart when she had a lapse in her own cultivation he began speaking with the room. Once again he spoke in that weird songbird language and once again the room responded. This time, humanoid figures appeared. Figures that Lykan was apparently supposed to strike at with different manifested elemental attacks that generated from his hands or feet. Brenna stood there in amazement as she watched his feet and hands glow with power.

A quick knowing glance back from Lykan let her know that she had been caught staring. With a sigh she immediately sat down and assumed the meditation pose. Then not wanting to be further distracted, she turned her back to Lykan and began breathing. Her efforts were met with a quick chuckle. Questioning her ears, she turned around only to see Lykan doing acrobatic twists and strikes between opponents. In these scenarios he apparently could only strike one of the monsters that appeared, and it had to be with a particular element. She watched for a moment. But a quick glance between flips let her know she had once again lapsed in concentration.

Frustrated she turned back around and continued her own tasks that her master had given her. Breathe in. Breathe out.