A proper preparation

"Hmmm. Let me think for a moment." Zhèngyi replied, resting his head on one of his hands.

"I think it would be best if we gather information about our opponents first." he explained. "At the very least, we need to estimate how many opponents we have and what they can do."

"And I'm supposed to wait here in time, or what?" growled Kiyu, hearing the suggestion. "Every second that Laki remains in the clutches of that greasy slave driver, the more she has to suffer!"

How could he expect them not to save Laki right now?

< The sage only needs his attention directed to his intelligence. It is she who can direct everything in all directions, little Kiyu. Don't focus on what may be. Only those who remain in the here and now can act. >

'But he has Laki in his power. If he does anything to her, it's too late,' Kiyu shouted inside herself.

< That can happen. You can't control the outcome. But consider how you can best shape your influence on it. With preparation or uncontrolled? >

"AHHH! Do you know how much it sucks to listen to you, Ryu?" she burst out, not noticing that she had shouted out the words instead of just thinking them.

< See what happens when you let your feelings rule you? >

Kiyu would have liked to continue discussing, though.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Zhèngyi in amazement.

"Haaa... I guess there's no point in hiding it." she replied, annoyed by the whole situation. "I'm talking to this would-be wise spirit inside me, giving me advice."

That the advice came from him when she was about to forget herself or do something stupid, she left out.

"Spirit? I knew it," Zhèngyi cheered, looking at Kiyu with a joy-filled face. "You are a spirit shaper, aren't you? That also explains why you could heal so fast! It is your powers!"

"Yes, but healing is not my power" she continued to explain, but Zhèngyi was not listening to her anymore.

"Keep at it!" ordered Toras to him in a controlled but strict tone. "This will improve our chances, but you still have to be smart about it."

"Ahem. Yes, that's right." Zhèngyi cleared his throat.

"What do you mean, lad? Can you take care of the information gathering?" he asked Zhèngyi. "Then I'll take care of our little one here."

"You can leave the gathering of information to me," he confirmed and ran out of the room.

"Haa.... always the same with him. Not a second to wait." Toras just shook his head and turned to Kiyu. "So you're a spiritformer.... does that apply to the other girl as well?"

However, Kiyu could only shake her head. "No, she's not a Spiritformer."

"I see. Well, leave the information to the boy. He'll handle it," Toras assured her. "You, however, will have to worry about getting stronger. You got roughed up pretty good last night, and that's even though they were just simple warriors."

Kiyu's shoulders felt so heavy. As much as she loathed it, he was right. Sure, she had given some adults a good beating as a girl. But that didn't change her situation. Her opponents would not consider the fact that she was a girl.

"I need to get stronger," she replied and lowered her voice.

"May I know what your ability is and how long you've been training it?" asked Toras, curious but not pushy.

Kiyu had the feeling that he didn't want to harm her, but even if he did, she had no other option.

"Body amplification," she replied. "I can strengthen body functions, like hardening my bones and skin, or my body's natural healing process." she added.

"As for training," she continued, "I'm afraid it's only been two days."

"I understand. Not bad." he remarked. "For two days, that's quite an accomplishment. It seems you are a quick learner, which is good."

"Well, Kiyu. You lack only two things." he opened his speech, extending the index and middle fingers of his right hand.

"One is experience in combat. You should have already realized that last night, but they tricked you into their trap without problems. You're not used to an overhand." he explained to her, taking his middle finger back down.

"The second is your spiritual energy." he finished his explanation and lowered his index finger as well.

"My spiritual energy?" she repeated, not understanding what he meant.

"Exactly." he confirmed and explained it in more detail. "When uniting with a spirit, it is the bodies that merge, but it is the spiritual energy that holds everything together. It is the source of a spiritformer's strength. You could also equate it with mental strength or willpower, though that doesn't quite do it justice."

"But how do you know that's what I lack?" she wondered. After all, wasn't this the first time he had inspected Kiyu? Was she such an open book?

"Let's just say I have a trained eye for potential and ability," he evaded. "All that matters is that you have the potential. You need to train your skills. What has your training been like so far?"

"Well, um." Kiyu didn't know if she should tell him. After hearing all this, she feared she had been wasteful with her talent and not done it justice.

"So, always at night, free of clothes, I warmed my body to fight the cold. The clothes I took off to make it colder and more difficult. And during the day... I could not train since we were always on the move. It's always been too busy." she confessed.

"I see." Toras scratched his chin as he surveyed Kiyu. "Given your Spiritformer ability, that should be appropriate. For battle preparation, however, there is something even more effective," he hinted.

"More effective?" echoed Kiyu in wonder, wanting to know what it was. If it was going to help her free Laki, she would take it on herself no matter what it was!

"You could continue your meditative exercises now, of course, but they wouldn't give you any combat experience. Only a fight will help you there.... and therefore" but instead of finishing his sentence, he raised his hand and made a casual gesture. Countless creepers had gathered around his hand as if in front of a leader.

"Therefore, it would be best if you develop in combat. As a training fight, of course. I won't expose you to a life or death danger."

"Yo… you're a Spiritformer too?" she gasped as she saw the plants bending to his will.

"Yes, but please don't tell Zhèngyi. He doesn't know about it, and I wish to keep it that way," he asked her.

"It's okay," Kiyu replied. She could not understand it, but she did not care. It brought her no advantages to talk about it.

"Very well!" exclaimed Toras, straightening up. "Then get ready!"

Kiyu got into a fighting stance and prepared herself. Fighting alone was already foreign to her, but fighting against plants? How would a fight against even look like? Under normal circumstances, such a thing would not be possible at all, but the power of the Spiritformers made many things that were abnormal seem natural.

The first attack came much too fast for Kiyu to block it. With full force, the plants had thrown themselves against her body and it felt as if dozens of metallic objects were hitting her body.

"Argh!" Pain coursed through her body, but she didn't have time to think about it. She refocused on the prancing creepers in front of her.

'Where will he attack me next?' she tried to follow each of the movements with her eye. However, she realized it was proving to be impossible. Toras controlled too many plants, making it impossible for her to follow them all with the naked eye.

"You're already thinking your way into battle like a warrior." he praised her. "Use your powers, your instincts."

Again the plants attacked with full force. Some Kiyu could block with her strengthened fists, but the sheer number of plants overwhelmed her. It was like the past battle.

'I have to follow and fight them all.'

But how? At first, she had considered strengthening her eyes with her powers, but that alone would not be enough.

And to strengthen her entire body, to harden it as she did with individual body parts, she lacked the spiritual strength at the moment.

Toras had finished his attack and gave her a few seconds to think.

'I got it!' For a moment, Kiyu closed her eyes and focused her strengthening power on four of her five senses. Sight, hearing, smell, and touch.

When she heard her opponent's next attack, she opened her eyes again.

At first, she fended off a lot of the plants with her hands, but when the superior number threatened to strike her again, she dodged the attacks. She relied on smell, hearing and feeling to continue to track the plants that escaped her eye. Kiyu had to retreat from the attack, but even a sneaky plant could not hit her.

"Very good. You are learning fast, Kiyu. Like a born warrior!" he praised her again after she had dodged the last attack.

"We'll take a quick break so you can internalize what happened. Then we'll continue."

Kiyu nodded and gasped for air. It had only been three exchanges of blows, but they had taken a lot out of her.