^^ Hero Matthias Coleburn ^^
— Zoken —
Training with the Sage was by far the best time of my life.
Truly.
The others were always complaining, -when he wasn't around to hear, of course,- about soreness, aches, pains, or other activities they'd rather be doing, but they all secretly enjoyed the new power, and the respect it gained us in the village.
But me? I just really, really liked the training, and I wasn't afraid to show it.
There was something liberating about being able to move so freely, without rest, without wheezing for breath like I always had; the Priests and Healers in the Holy City had said it was an illness of my lungs, and that I would never be a warrior. Ever. And they were right. Had the Sage not cured me, I would never have been able to keep up with the others, not even for an hour, or half of one.
But, the difference between us was clear; they were here because they were ordered to be, because they needed the power, because they knew their duty was to get stronger. All good reasons; but I was here because I wanted to be. No amount of orders or respect or hatred would ever sway me from my path to be the Sage's greatest disciple. I would be the strongest, to show him my appreciation and respect for his curing me, and then one day I would surpass him, and protect the village in his stead, so he could finally relax, after 100,000 years of protecting us from the shrine of the mountain.
No one had told him, of course, that his Presence in the Shrine had always driven beast-minded monsters away from the Lake. No one had told him that his awakening had weakened our magical borders, which we had placed using him as a sort of magical power source, considering he oozed the type of Ur we all saw as nearly Godlike. But when he woke up, that was all gone. The warriors had to fight more often, the patrols were attacked by bandits and thieves and beasts more often. We hadn't lost a Dragon Hunter in nearly 50 years, but in the past year, we'd lost two.
None of this was his fault, of course. We took responsibility; we'd decided to use him to power our borders. We'd decided to loosen our awareness, to relax into our sense of peaceful security. We had become Co-Dependent on him as an Immovable God of Protection, Immune to all forms of attack. When he'd been revealed to be only a man, we'd been shocked, and confused, but it was something of a relief, that weight on our backs of 'what if we displease God' was gone. In its place, a hearty, ready atmosphere took root, as he trained the entire population, and us, the Disciples, specifically.
When the children of the village, as precious and weak as they were, got sick, we panicked, but then they were healed, and we felt the Sage's eye upon us for just a moment, before it was gone.
This reminded me of when he'd given us the Apple, our first day of training, and we'd been out through that traumatizing, hellish pain, which still echoed through my mind every time I ate one of the White Apples.
Immediately, I knew what had happened; the Sage had seen our weakness and unreadiness, and had decided to gift us with such a valuable, Unique Magical Item, a Legendary Item, even.
I lectured the villages, all of them, thoroughly, after that revelation. The Sage had wasted a valuable resource that he could only get once a century, because he could see our weakness, and it angered him, but instead of reacting violently, he had reacted benevolently, taken Pity on us. 'That you return that benevolence with vigilance and striving for greatness,' I said, 'is the absolute least we can give in return. We must never be the subject of the Sage's Pity.'
Their senses of honor prevailed, and they all agreed. Soon, the entire lake was surrounded by training people, at every hour of every day; the Disciples blocked the Chi of the others, so that their training would progress faster, and within six months, we had become mighty. Beasts fell beneath the least of us, and the monsters from the Elysian Fields, and the Bandits and Thieves, they ceased to be a threat.
But the Sage didn't seem impressed.
Instead, he increased our training, having us create new villages and even a wide, massive river, winding towards the coast, then villages along the river. He didn't explain himself, like always, and we were left to wonder his purpose. We asked, and received vague explanations, to our surprise, but no real answers.
The river took the longest to finish, though. Six months of hellish pushing, several months longer than we'd anticipated, we reached the coast, and began the Fort; without breaking the seal and releasing the water.
We weren't given an explanation of that, either, of course.
I was currently plowing a field behind the Fort, where apparently fish bones would be buried? I wasn't sure, but the Sage's orders were always purposeful, so I did as I was told, happily so. He'd become more open to questions, the stronger we got, and so it had become the rumor in the village that he only allowed the Strong to question him, or receive his wisdom. Just More fuel in the fire of our goals to be stronger.
The others were finishing the other Villages, down the not-yet-river, while Mika was pressing the dirt of the riverbed into clay, while Maze baked it with her fire magic, so that it wouldn't rip itself apart and go away from our Plan for it.
I was a bit jealous of Mika, secretly; she had evolved into a Rooted Mōryō, a Mountain Saint Spirit, which was famous for its powers; in its home territory, its strength was multiplied by the number of people living on its land, and their power and vitality: therefore, she was as powerful as us, as we were all nearly equal in strength after so long of training, until she stepped foot on her Land. Then she was essentially Invincible, once she reached home, with strength that easily reached Legendary Proportions, and her ability to manipulate the earth became almost entirely effortless.
She became a literal match for the Sage on the Mountain, which made him laugh with joy as he sparred her daily, when she wasn't working on the river or villages. She never won. Ever. But she tried, again and again, and I saw that he respected her determination.
I struck the hoe I was using into the ground, and wiped my brow slowly. "Whew! Done!" I nodded, looking out over the hundred-meter square I'd tilled.
"Well done. Eat." The Sage appeared, and tossed me an apple.
I ate it with relish, groaning as the pain in my body ceased and erased itself, followed by a warm feeling. "Mast, can I ask why I'm making a field for fish bones?" I asked, sitting down on a stump outside the field.
He hummed softly. "It is... an experiment of sorts. Fish bones, when they rot, release a certain chemical that is very healthy for plants, but it drives off animals and insects, reducing the amount of crop taken by the animals per season. I plan to grow some crops here for the villages. Or, start them, and they'll farm it themselves." He explained concisely.
I bowed my head, and nodded. "Thank you for answering me, Master. That is a very interesting idea."
He hummed again, and looked out towards the mountain. "Something is wrong... go to the village."
"Master? Wrong how-"
"'!!!NOW!!!'" His voice echoed in my mind and ears, crackling like lightning, and I was running towards the village before I even blinked.
I was close to ten leagues away, so I cheated a bit, hoping he wouldn't be mad, and released my Seal, sprinting at full speed towards the river, the plain like a blur around me.
I arrived around ten minutes later, and danced between the crowd of Ogres and Orcs that were surrounding something in the center. Soon, the crowd saw me, and parted to let me through.
In the center, four humans were there, each about grown by human standards, (I wasn't sure). Three men and one woman, all on horses, but still not as tall as the Adult Ogres, though the Orcs were about equal in height, now.
I cleared my throat at the tense atmosphere. "Ahem! Hello, Humans! My apologies for your rude welcome, my Kin are very Cautious, and as you surely know, it is Bandit Season, so we are on high alert for intruders who come for trouble! My name is Zoken Katachi, I am the Chief Protector's Son and Heir, and I would be happy to hear and handle whatever request you had of the Treaty Lake Community!" I bowed politely, and smiled warmly at the small beings as the crowd took a few steps back, sensing my intention to dispel the aggression.
The Sage didn't like Wanton Violence, nor those who Bullied the Weak, and these humans were likely very weak, so attacking them would anger him, no doubt, even if one of them seemed to be a Priest of the Human Church, holding a staff topped by a Mithril Cross.
The youngest of the three men, with no facial hair or anything like that which Lord Waylon had to signify age, nudged his horse forward. "My name is Matthias Coleburn, Hero of the Human Continent; I am here to request a Duel with the Fake Hero who has claimed their Ascendance in this Land, and the False Saint as well! I ask he come out, and die like a Man!"
I raised an eyebrow slowly, a facial expression I'd learned from the Sage that apparently meant confusion towards someone's stupidity. "Why would you want to kill a Hero and a Saint? Isn't that the Maou's Job? Are you sure you're not a Demon Lord?" I asked, utterly confused.
He snorted ungracefully. "These Monsters who claim the Ascendency are no true Hero or Saint, but evil fakes; there is only One Hero! So I am here to slay the Beast that Claims my Title!" He snapped.
I hummed. "That is rather curious... I will reintroduce myself, then; I am Zoken Katachi, Clan Hero of the Elysian Fields, and of Treaty Lake Town. I am a Goryō, a Sixth-Evolution Ultra-Rare Path, and I am actually a Hero, according to my Stats and my Master, The Sage of The Mountain, the Hundred-Millenia Sage, the Spirit Sphinx that has granted Patronage and Protection to my Clan for over 10,000 years, as he meditated in the Spirit World."
The priest's jaw slowly dropped, and he rode up to the Hero, whispering in his ear swiftly. "We May have made a mistake; the Hundred-Thousand Sun Sage is a Legendary Sage!!! He is incredibly powerful!"
I continued, smiling warmly. "I am Pleased to meet you, Hero Matthias Coleburn, but as much as I believe I would appreciate a Sparring Match with you, I must decline your request for a Mortal Duel; you see, my master has specifically stated that he despises useless, senseless Violence, and that those who practice it are unenlightened fools. So I am sorry, but you will not be fighting me today. But! You may make free of my hospitality, and you and your Party are welcome to stay in my Home for the night; I am sure it was a long, very harsh journey, all the way from the North Continent."
"Accept his offer!" The Priest hissed.
"What? You said we should-"
"Killing the disciple of the Sage would invoke his wrath, and the Church would like his Patronage of you, so our Party could gain a Sage to help Slay the Demon King!" He gripped the Hero's arm tightly to make his point.
"What about the False Hero and False Saint?!?" The Hero hissed back.
The Priest's Expression turned cramped, like he'd tasted something sour, and the other man joined them, speaking softly. "We will find another way... perhaps offer a Hunting Challenge in stead of a Duel, and we can deal with them in the Plain; it's dangerous enough we could-"
One of the Orcs snarled savagely, stomping forward and drawing an axe of of his belt. "You Plot to HUNT the OGRE PRINCE? HOW DARE YOU,-"
I pushed the Orc back into the crowd with one hand, and cleared my throat as he flew away, which hadn't been my intention. "My apologies for my comrade, he is quite spirited! My offer is still open, if you'd like a proper bed to sleep on tonight, before you begin your journey home in the morning? Perhaps you may speak to the Sage tonight, when he returns; he is out inspecting a field I tilled for the villagers." I gestured at the Chief's house, and the crowd slowly dispersed when I frowned at them all, clearly displaying my displeasure with their lack of manners.
The priest nodded calmly, not reacting at all to being caught plotting. "We would like an Audience with the Sage of the Mountain."
"Alright, I'm sure he'll be back soon. He returns every day at Dawn and Sunset to Praise the Sun, as do many who follow his teachings, especially the Dryads." I explained calmly, leading them towards the Chief's House.
"He's a Pagan, then?" The Hero snorted bitterly.
"Hmm? No, I don't recognize the term, but it seems religious in nature?... he says that it is not religious at all, but rather a good habit for the purification of the Spirit and Mind, while the Martial Form he practices at the same time is cleansing and exercise for the Body, placing your Whole into Harmony and Balance. I don't quite understand, but Jerrod could explain better, he's also a Sage, and the Sage's Disciple." I nodded, and led them inside, as they lashed their horses to a post outside quickly.
"There is another Sage? A Young one?" The Priest asked excitedly.
"You're interested in his wisdom, I see? Yes, Jerrod Kylan, the Dragon Chief's Son. He is my fellow Sage's Disciple. The Sage teaches us Swordplay and Fist Arts, as well as training our minds and Spirits." I showed them the Meeting room, and waved a hand at the couches. "You May rest here, and the bedrooms are just behind this room, I will have two rooms ready, for the men and the Lady Saint, unless she would like to Rest in the Sage's Shrine with the other Shrine Maidens?" I asked her, looking down at the small woman with short black hair and golden-Mithril plate armor.
She smiled a little, and nodded. "I would appreciate that, yes. It's been a while since I saw so many women, after traveling with a group of men for so long!"
I nodded. "Alright, I will lead you there in a moment. Aunt Sakura! We have Guests!!!" I called up the stairs, and then went into one of the back rooms, placing sheets and a blanket onto the two Ogre-sized beds inside, then the small cot between them, which was meant for children, but would fit a human, I thought. It was about the same size. I also placed some fruit and dried meats on the table, and a tub of water was pulled from a Well for their baths, and I made sure to Dispel the Magic in the water, so they didn't die from accidentally drinking it.
Thinking of humans' approach to Mating, I knew that the woman would not bathe with the men, so I went into a second room, a few doors down, and drew another bath, the same size as the first, and also Dispelled. This one, though, I placed several types of flowery soaps around the tub, along with random, possibly useful things that Aunty had in her pantry of ladies' bathing items. Also, smelling like my Aunt would 'Claim' her, so the other females would perhaps stay away, for now. Some fruits and meats on that table, and I was finished, I supposed.
After that was sorted, I came out again, and smiled. "Alright, your room is ready, a bath was drawn, though I wasn't sure what temperature humans could withstand, so you may need to wait a bit until it is properly cooled. Also, as you are waiting for the Sage, I drew you a separate, private bath, Lady Saint; I imagine you would appreciate some of the Scents and things my Aunt has for her baths, so do enjoy. If you'd like, a female can guard your door, though there are only seven men in the entire Ogre Village, and three are my age."
She tilted her head slowly, looking surprised. "Only Seven? Why? Have they all died in battle recently?"
I laughed heartily at her adorable bluntness, and shook my head. "No, no Ogre Man has fell in over 300 years; no, we are a near-entirely Female Race, Ogres. Orcs are equally male and female, but Dryads and Dragons are also all-female, but for a very few male elves and dragons." I explained.
"Oh! Well that is unfortunate!" She hummed, and then bowed her head. "I will avail myself of your hospitality, Sir Zoken." She walked towards the back room, and I had one of the younger females go with her, a demure Shrine Warrior (a rarity, that,) who wasn't likely to cause any problems.
"I advise you to eat, rest, and bathe; relax for a few hours, as it's an eighth of a day until sundown." I looked at the others, and sat down across from them, munching on a White Apple from my Bag of Holding. (I'd talked Hallox into lending it to me until I got a Hidden Pocket.)
The priest noticed the Apple, and flinched. "Ahem... Zoken, May I ask you, if it isn't too rude, about your Combat Level? You said you'd evolved Six Times-"
"Five, Times. I'm a Sixth Evolution, meaning I've evolved five times. I was born a Kijin, then evolved to Weak Oni... it's been about a year since then, when I began training under the Sage." I corrected, motioning for him to continue.
The Hero snorted sarcastically. "Obviously a Lie. No one evolves that many times unless they're a Grand Templar or something, and you're clearly a weakling."
I blinked slowly, and controlled the flow of Ur that spilled out of me full-force, shaking the room, just a second too late. "I do not appreciate being called a Liar... nor Weak." I gritted my teeth and retained my civility by a hair, as my scalp tingled with the rushing, instinctual adrenal response to my moment of Rage.
Everyone in the room, -including now, Chief Sakura,- froze, staring at me, and the Hero smirked, too stupid to feel the danger in the air. "Why don't you do something about it then, Monster?"
I stood up slowly, ignoring Aunt Sakura's warning gaze, and summoned my Sword. While the Hero reached for his, I began calmly belting mine on, merging the Aura Blade with my real sword, the Silver Horn of the Ogre King. (It had been decided it was mine, by unanimous Vote amongst the Disciples.)
I slowly drew the gleaming red-silver blade, and set it on the table, which groaned under its weight. "If you can lift my blade, I will allow you that Duel you so desperately seek, Matthias Coleburn." I intoned politely, glaring at him and smiling to show my slender fangs and shiny white teeth.
He scoffed and reached for the blade, using two hands to wrap the thick handle, then heaved with all his might, his legs straining and his back tensing, slowly raising the handle off the table, whilst puffing in effort. It then fell out of his sweaty grip, and the table snapped in half. He growled at it and picked it up again, his Human Aura filling his body as he managed to get the tip off the floor, this time.
"How's that!!! Hmm?!? You... Monster..." he growled at me, straining with the weight as his Aura ran out, and the sword point slammed the ground again.
I nodded and gently removed it from his hands, swinging it with a casual air and sheathing it. "Well then, you managed to barely lift my sword. I am a man of my word, and so, with the Sage as Witness, We Duel at Dusk. Now truly, avail yourself of the Baths before our duel; Ogres have a Keen Sense of Smell, and you reek!" I sneezed at him, and bowed to the priest and my aunt politely, then exited the building.