"What's a Fluxxara?" Kirin asked at random, it was something he had never heard of, or read in the books, the rest of the men kept quiet, he looked at them expectantly but they all looked away, he suddenly noticed how tired and cut up they were, they seemed to have injuries and wounds that were yet to heal.
"It's a myth, a story that mother's used to scare children" Tharros responded, he walked towards the man who sat on the ground shivering in fear.
"Get him up Boys, we have a different destination in mind" he commanded his warriors.
"We aren't going back to the Thunder clan?" Kirin asked, suddenly surprised, he hadn't expected detours on missions, Tharros looked back at him knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"You're probably thinking it's against the code of the cult to stray from the mission but tell me something boy..." Tharros spoke, his gaze fixated on Kirin.
"Would you rather go back to the clan and report your findings or would you rather sojourn to the Water clan, telling them about what we discovered?"
"Could you imagine the possible devastation and death that would happen if just one of those damned bubs of blackened blood got into a body of water? Much less the water of the water clan which flows across the realm?" Tharros asked.
Kirin was speechless, he had to admit that he hadn't thought that far, the only thought on his mind was his immediate survival and loyalty to the clan, he hadn't thought about how the realm would be affected by the discovery of the creatures.
"You hear me, men? We move towards the Water clan! To the women that purify the water we drink with bodies as those of goddesses, legend has it that the maidens of the Water tribe wear nothing but silk" he shouted, and the men followed in laughter.
"And I'll be damned if some blackened Fluxxara got in my way" his voice boomed towards the forest as he picked up his weapon, the others followed suit.
"Set up camp men, tomorrow we head south" his voice thundered, and so did the voice of his men in cheers, Kirin looked at them in confusion then at Seth.
"Why?" Kirin asked with a frown on his face.
"Why not?" Seth said laughing, Kirin was as confused as any man had a right to be.
"I thought it was for the realm, not to see naked women clad in silk" Kirin pushed even further.
"Have you laid with a woman yet?" Seth asked randomly.
Kirin scowled at him, he preferred keeping his inability to entice women a secret, perhaps it was just his bad luck, "You know I haven't" he replied.
"Then you wouldn't understand, men need motivation, whatever it may be Kirin and for these men? Women in silk dresses with water pouring down between their chests seemed to do the trick," Seth said chuckling.
Kirin sighed tiredly, he was yet to understand what being a warrior was all about. He was si sure it was all for honour and glory, but now? He wasn't so sure.
"Boy, come over here" Tharros called out from across the camp, Kirin looked at Seth one last time before patting him on the back.
"Yes Master, you called me," Kirin replied as he approached.
"Follow me and can you stop with the formalities? You have saved my life once," Tharros said in a bout to sound honorable.
Kirin thought about it, then shrugged.
"Alright, Tharros!" Kirin said with a smile.
"So fast" Tharros scowled at the boy.
After they had gotten a hundred meters away from camp, Tharros found a rock and sat on it, then dropped his blade by the side.
"Take out your blade, swing it for me" he commanded, by the tone of his voice, Kirin knew Tharros was serious, he pulled out his saber blade and took the stone stance for stability.
He breathed in and out calmly, calming his nerves and fully immersing himself into stone stance, he took in a sharp breath and took a single swing of his saber.
A high pitched sound could be heard as Kayden slashed the air in front of him, Tharros watched him for a moment then stood up and turned around to a different angle.
"Again" he commanded.
Kirin tensed his body, without applying soul essence he swung against as sharply as he did the first time, but his balance was slightly off, but it was still an impressive strike but not as good as the first.
"Another" Tharros called out.
Kirin obeyed and did his best to slash in a vertical line, as smoothly as possible, it was an impressive strike, so far as mundane humans could manage but in the world of cultivation, it was the bare minimum.
Tharros began walking around Kirin as he told him to perform strikes at the air, making him change forms and striking at uncomfortably weird angles, Kirin did it all without any complaints until Tharros picked up his Odachi blade and pointed the top towards Kayden.
"You want to fight me? I'm just a second-rate warrior" Kirin backed out. He had seen Tharros fight, it was a deadly thing to behold, they called him the mad dancer, and his movements couldn't be stopped neither could they be predicted.
"Fight you?" He laughed.
"Heavens no boy, I need to correct something I observed about you," he said then took his stance.
"Correct some..." Kirin was still talking when the attack came, faster than he expected, Tharros performed a single diagonal slash at Kirin, but its strength was unlike anything Kirin had ever experienced, luckily the blade was sheathed.
"Damn it Tharros, a little warning please" Kirin struggled to get to his feet, he hadn't even realized when he fell to the ground. Tharros cocked his head in surprise then in confusion.
"I saw you fighting, you certainly seemed much stronger than you are now, did you perhaps drink an elixir before battle?" Tharros asked, after a moment's hesitation Kirin nodded, he knew he couldn't go around telling others he couldn't use the Harmonious sphere and had replaced it with something unknown.
Tharros nodded to himself, then spoke.
"Well, I won't take a step from here, move me Kirin Arcanus", Tharros called out.
At the mention of his full name, Kirin's face darkened, and his mood instantly grew sour, he hated being called his last name, it was a constant reminder of what he could have been but wasn't.
Copying his skill, Kirin moved his saber in a diagonal slash, steel rung in the cold air as Tharros easily blocked his attack.
Kirin began attacking relentlessly, weaving from one stance to another, he shifted from the lethality of Blood stance, to the versatility and unpredictability of water stance, looking for openings that he could take advantage of, but nothing. He faked a low attack to Tharros's knee only to get blocked from above.
And Tharros still hadn't moved a step, feeling his pride getting hurt, Kirin poured in some of his energy into his feet and hands, he immediately bolted towards Tharros, he was sure he would push him back.
Tharros simply bent his upper body low and took the full brunt of the attack, he didn't waver, neither did he fall, his foot remained where it had been but Kirin bounced back from the brunt of his own attack, he lay on the ground, arms aching with a wounded pride.
"Do not be so easily moved by provocations, it will be the end of you" Tharros said as he picked up the saber lying on the ground close to Kirin, then he stabbed his Odachi into the ground where Kirin lay.
"This suits you much better, especially with that form of yours," Tharros said as he walked away, leaving Kirin alone who lay flat down, surprised.