1 Final Preparations

Octavius paced through the paths of the library. The Ceiling was about 12 feet tall, and organized bookshelves went to the very top. Loosely bound notebooks, tied together scrolls, dignified leather-bound volumes, and texts that dripped a mist of shadows filled the space of these bookshelves. The wood floor had chalk markings scribed across it, and the shelves formed a mazelike pattern. The entire library was designed in the shape of an array. This library was just one of the many secure spatial pocket buildings that had been made for storing the innumerable volumes of the Inverted Zodiac Sect.

Octavius was skinny and pale. His naturally dark complexion had lost all health and his skin was now a strange grey like color. Deep bags under his eyes contrasted the bold bloodshot red that surrounded his bark brown eyes. His hair was nappy and had grown into gross, unkempt knots. His steps seemed to be full of life, even though he had a slight limp. The tight skin on his face distorted his expression, but the corners of his lips were pointed upwards. His back was hunched, and his steps made even more lopsided, by the light weight of a couple journals and loose papers he held in his arms.

Octavius had a soft sparkle in his dark eyes. His smile pulled at his dry cracked lips, threatening to draw blood. A hoarse voice tickled at his ears, "I've got great hope for this book. Yes..." The uneven rhythm of his steps gently tapped. "I just need to track down this technique."

Octavius stopped and began to look at the shelf in front of him. He scanned each row and each title or technique making sure not to miss a single one. All the while Octavius was making note of any that seemed interesting to look at again later. A shiver went down his spine as the voice of a small child began to sing softly from behind him. "Technique, technique, books in the library."

"Be quiet Ghost. Or you could help look around." Octavius turned around and snapped at the small transparent outline of a child. "This is an important step in our plan, Ghost." Octavius began digging through the shelves more aggressively.

"Technique, then learn, then grow, then no more hungry." The ghost began to fly through the nearby shelves. Octavius grabbed a small notebook off of the shelf that had a picture of a mask drawn onto the cover. The ghost grabbed a small scroll as well.

Octavius flipped through the pages and read as quickly as he could. Ghost stared at the text on the paper and flipped it over every time that Octavius turned a page. Octavius began to stroke his chin as his eyes danced faster and faster. The little ghost wiped his hand through his chin while staring intently at Octavius.

A wide smile stretched Octavius' grey skin almost to the breaking point. "This is the one! I can finally begin training!" Octavius jumped in circles and Ghost went to join him. They danced happily and began to sing little Ghost's song again.

"Technique! Technique! Books in the library! Technique! Technique! Read the words that are so sweet! Learn about the technique!"

Octavius came to a stop. "Little Ghost, your song isn't annoying anymore. Let's get ready to begin cultivating as soon as we can. I'll take a few notes and then we'll head back to our room."

After kneeling on the ground, Octavius spread his notes around. He pointed his small charcoal pencil at his map of the building. "Building: 3. Section: N. Layer: 9. Symbol: Star. Um... That was Shelf: 5. The book is a leather-bound notebook. Brown leather. Black ink design of a mask inscribed on the front. The Changeling Physique and Techniques." Octavius scribbled while writing down the encoded location of the book. "I think I'll also take... these. Bunny Bash and Dash plus Rabbit Rage. Twene should like these." Octavius finished taking his notes and gathered all the stuff he was bringing with him.

After winding through the various paths and shelves again, Octavius reached the exit. He limped his way out of the large double doors and stepped into the soft morning light coming in through the fog that blanketed the paths and gardens. The stone paths went in all directions and small bushes and trees were flowering all around the mountain's base. Octavius stepped out and looked back at the small 2 story shed behind him. "I can't wait to use spatial techniques..." Octavius began to walk down into the woods away from the mountain.

The ghost passed through trees and bushes and constantly circled near Octavius. Whenever other disciples passed by the ghost would fly through them. They would shiver and Octavius simply ignored them.

After walking for about an hour, Octavius was home. "Library 3 is further than I thought. What a pain." Octavius limped under an archway and into his courtyard. A large tree in the center reached up for the morning light. The 5 story buildings that surrounded it blocked the gentle light of the morning and evening. The few benches in the courtyard were still covered in shade even though it was probably almost 9 in the morning.

Octavius entered his building on the left and then went up the stairs to the fifth floor. Each housing floor had 8 one room living spaces, and each building had 2 bathing areas and 2 bathrooms. The first floor was a bathroom area, the second the bathing area, and the 3 floors above were housing. These small courtyards each had 8 buildings in them, so there were 192 disciples in a regular courtyard. Unless some disciples still hadn't been replaced.

Octavius opened the door to his room. His bed was made, but papers covered the whole surface. The desk was a mess, and small piles of notes were separated into sections across the floor. Octavius glided through his mess as Ghost glided through the air. "I have to clean up the mess from my last research session before I get completely lost in this project." Octavius organized everything and moved it all out of the way, or as much as he could.

Octavius sat at his desk with a couple sheets for notes and a fresh notebook ready. Then he pulled out the Changeling Physique. "What doing? Cultivivate? Oc?" Ghost came near and began chattering again. "Read book? Feed me?"

"Ghost, be quiet. Yes, yes, and yes. Now, I'll stop in time for lunch too. I'll need all the energy I can get. Just let me do this first." Octavius checked his supplies. Plenty of stuff to write on and write with. The sun was rising. The Changeling Physique in front of him. Ghost seemed to be ready to go. It was as good as conditions could get.

His grey hand reached out and took hold of a pencil and the other hand opened the book. His eyes scanned the page and Octavius attentively copied the words and diagrams into the notebook. He scribbled questions into the margins as he went along and stood up to imitate a couple of the positions briefly. "I'm probably one of the only people who cultivates like this. Maybe a few of the other librarians do this type of work too..." Octavius mumbled and worked through page after page.

Ghost hovered overhead and looked intently at the pages. Ghost would pass through Octavius from time to time, making him shudder with a cold chill, but gently reinvigorating him with the stimulation. After a few hours Ghost spoke up. "Oc. Sun ready. We go?"

Octavius looked through Ghost in a daze. Outside his small window he could see that the sun was hitting the tree. "You're right Ghost. Thanks, I wouldn't want to miss lunch." Octavius walked over to his window, then climbed onto the ledge. He reached up and grabbed the edge of the roof. He pulled with all of his might and felt his arms struggle to lift his skin and bones body. He pulled himself up and could feel the sweat running down his face already.

"Come here Ghost. We're going to use the Chlorophyll Cultivation Technique." Ghost flew over and floated in front of Octavius. "Now, stretch out like a blanket. Just like we've been practicing." Ghost's shape changed from a small boy into a large flat square that waved like a flag in the air. Octavius reached out and touched Ghost. They sat still in that position for a few minutes, then slowly Ghost began to turn green. Octavius hung Ghost from his shoulders like a cloak.

Octavius then began to stretch. After stretching Octavius did some exercises. After his body was weak and he struggled to squat and couldn't do another pushup, he got into his cultivation position. "I wish I could come up with a better name since it's misleading. Let's try the dual cultivation we've been working on, Ghost. Coral Qi Condensation Technique." Octavius sat still like a rock.

Octavius had been on the roof for almost two hours when he decided to sit down and use these two cultivation techniques at the same time. Octavius then sat there until dinner time. When Octavius stood up, he had a bit of his color back. His skin looked like flesh instead of the crisp paper it resembled before. He moved slowly, with the green robe that Ghost had turned into still wrapped around him.

"Swift Imp Claw: Form 1" Octavius widened his base and lowered his center of gravity. He kept his body perpendicular to his imaginary target, with one shoulder close, his body sideways. "Be as small a target as possible." He raised both arms, pointing his left hand forward and his right arm back. His arms went through Ghosts non-physical body. His left arm performed a blocking motion, then he rotated his entire body and swung his right arm like a whip. His shoes skidded across the rooftop and dust blew from his explosive movements.

Octavius choked back a pained grunt. "My knee is still messed up." Octavius slowly went through every form in the Swift Imp Claw and drew circles in the dirt on the roof. After doing them all once he took a moment to stretch. "Now to try some modifications." He repeated every movement, with different variations.

Octavius constantly muttered while training. "This stance hurts my knee less but generates less power." After another series of movements, "This pattern keeps my knee better protected. An injured joint is a good target." This continued until the sunlight was almost gone. Octavius finally climbed down into his room.

Octavius pulled out a couple of notebooks and quickly journaled down his experiences and impressions from the training session he had just had. He briefly sketched out the different movements for the Swift Imp Claw that he thought were best and wanted to practice more. He also wrote about the flow of qi while using both of the cultivation techniques together, trying to develop a way to better work with Ghost.

After scribbling for a while in the candlelight, Octavius finally put the pencil down. With a deep sigh, Octavius looked over at Ghost. "It has been a very long day. With everything out of the way we should be ready. Are you hungry, Ghost?"

"Ghost not hungry. Ghost want play! We play?" Ghost began to bounce up and down.

"If you aren't hungry, then I don't have to worry about complications on your end. We are going to try something new tonight, Ghost. I'll be needing your help. This changeling technique should open up a few opportunities for us." Octavius looked over the original technique and his copy one more time.

"Now I just need some moonlight." Octavius had a smug smile as he crawled back up to the roof. It was much easier since he finally had some energy to move his skin and bones with. Ghost followed through the window.

Octavius looked up at the full moon, lighting up every inch of the roof. These were the perfect conditions for him to begin. He had searched four long years to find the techniques that he could use to break through. He had worked four long years trying to figure out how to cultivate... and keep himself alive.