Astral Qi

As breakfast was served and the silly feud between the two children ceased, Sura breathed a sigh of relief, watching with apprehension as Aurleia took her first bite of the Luminous Salmon. She watched; her skin heated up a bit, and slivers of sweat trailed down onto her snow-white tunic, and then… nothing. 

Aurelia took another bite, followed by another and another. 

Sura stared with wonder. "Might I ask what manner of creature Aurelia is?" 

"You might ask," said Zariel, calmly pecking at his sausage. He looked up at Sura."But I'm not sure myself." 

"And who might you be?" Asked Quinn, his eyes fixed on the boy. 

"Me?" A thin smile caught the boy's tender features. "What indeed."

Quinn felt his gut begin to lurch; this wasn't a conversation he'd usually had with children, but one that reminded him of the ones he held within the imperial court. 

"You seem to like evading questions." Said Quinn darkly. 

"I wasn't aware I needed to answer. Ah, the benefits of not having any guardians and all." Zariel teased, enjoying the icy gathering over Quinn's hardened face. 

Quinn felt his fingers clench. "Has anyone ever told you you've got a nasty habit of annoying people?" 

'You ought to meet my brother. Nasty bastard he is." 

"And Is this brother here?" Asked Quinn, noticing the half smile on the boy dwindle into a thin line. 

"No…" He answered dryly. "Tell me, Ser Quinn. What is the name of this planet?" 

"Excuse me?" Said Quin and Sura. The two exchanged glances and met with Zariel's icy silver eyes. 

"I figured it was better to ask you two. Don't tell me that's taboo. "

"Are… are you by chance from another realm?" Sura asked, taken back. 

"hmmm. That's a fine question. Though now I'm reminded of anime. I wonder if One Peace is finished? I can't even remember where I stopped. Guess I'll have to start over… Again."

At the mention of something unfamiliar, Aurelia propped her head up from the large half-eaten bone of a strange creature she could not pronounce. 

"What's Anime?" She asked. 

"The Ultimate Form of Mental Training, " said Zariel, bright. "Shoutout to Japan. "

"Will we be learning anime?"

"Watching, not learning. I'll have to see if I can create a satellite that connects to Genesis. So maybe," he said, a little excited himself.

Aurelia was all smiles. 

As breakfast continued, Quinn continued his investigation, finding that, more often than not, he was feeding Zariel information. Furious, he stopped talking altogether. 

"I must thank you, Ser Quinn," Zariel said, gloating at the sullen expression of defeat on Quinn. "Though you never answered my question. What is the name of this Planet? 

"Lumaris"

***

In the days that came, Zariel manor had been frequented quite a bit by various lords who'd taken up an interest in the mysterious, new lord. Though, to their dismay, the New Lord had left them at the gates. To be greeted by the winds. 

Such a blatant defiance left many reeling with anger. But Zariel didn't have the heart to care. He was quite busy getting acquainted with Astral Qi. It was an energy used quite frequently within the Astral Sea of the Twelve Realms. And unlike Qi, that came from heaven and earth. Astral Qi came from the soul. It was something Zariel had been interested in most of his short-lived life.

Within his underground lab slowly coming together, sweat slithered down his back as he stared up at the bench that weighed roughly fifty pounds, hovering above his head. 

"fifty pounds today… Yesterday, it was Forty-Nine."

Now that his soul had stabilized within the abyss of his inverted star, Zariel had a constant source of astral qi billowing off his Soul Flame into the Dantain that was growing each day. 

Resting the lab bench back down in a corner, Zariel was pleased. "Telekinesis is not bad as a starting technique. I see why no one likes fighting people from the Astral Sea. It's a bitch." he said, standing up a little light-headed from over-exertion. He stumbled back down, sighing at how flimsy his body was now. "It sucks being weaker than a common human. Hells, I'm weaker than a goddamn slime." 

Tired, he laid on the floor, looking up at the arcane lantern burning a rich azure flame he'd recently set up, when he suddenly felt an air of disturbance enter his laboratory.

"Will you be teaching Aurelia that? " the little girl asked, spying on him as she nervously made her way toward him. 

Zariel grunted, too lazy to move. "You know this lab is off-limits, right?" 

"You missed afternoon lessons," Aurelia pointed out, looking around at the various beakers, test tubes, an unlit furnace, a cauldron, and various other things she didn't recognize. 

"What time is it?"

"About to be evening," she said, looking down at his exhausted face. 

"Have you read through the books I wrote for you?"

She nodded. 

"What about sword practice?"

"Did it in the morning. "

"Spirit Control?"

"You said to practice spirit control when I swing my sword."

"... That does sound like something I'd say."

Aurelia took a seat beside him. "My core is almost ready to become a star."

Zariel glanced at her. It was eight months earlier than he estimated. 

'Has her spirit evolved so much?' he thought, a little impressed. Had she been born on Iluthath, Aurelia might have been taken in by any number of monsters. Wars might have been raised just for some to get their hands on her. 

"show me" 

She looked at him with a challenging gleam and reached into herself, seizing that fragment of authority she housed, and felt her spirit expand from out of her body. 

10 feet

15 feet 

20 feet 

30 feet 

Amazed by her Spirit Domain, Zariel forced himself up. Looking her over with newfound respect. 

"Not bad. Not bad at all. And you can maintain this level while swinging your sword?"

"not yet. I can only get it to fifteen feet," Aurelia admitted. "and it's unstable, but it's a great exercise." 

Zariel smirked, "Of course it is. I recommended it." he pointed to her chest. "but make sure no matter what happens, your essence is calm and docile to your commands. Take your time."

"what happens when it's not?"

"the energy flows in reverse, causing the raging energy to clash with the calm, which usually results in an explosion."

Aurelia paled in color. "Are you serious? "

"I've no reason to lie to you." Zariel reminded her, amused by her distressed look. He snickered. "Just cycle the already refined Arcana through the twelve gates that should not only kill any sort of disobedience the Arcana might have, but it's also a way of curing yourself from various types of poisons." 

Curiously, Aurelia began cycling her Arcana, becoming mystified by how docile her Arcana became. 

"my refinement technique is perfect. But it's just a tool. One that can easily be abused. What you felt in your arcana was your violent emotions, your will integrating into your Arcana that was forced through the twelve gates of refinement. You're what, six? Take your time. Cycle your refined arcana, and we can build your core tomorrow." he said, watching her begin. 

He chuckled, recalling the same mistake he made the first time he cultivated. It was a mistake all children make. 

"It's funny… I, too, was once a child… and despite it all… I'm still a child." he looked up, wondering how long those within the hells would learn of his escape. How long did he have? 

One year? 

Two years? 

Three years? 

He chuckled, flopping back to the ground. " I'm never going back there, never," he swore, shaking as a sense of panic caught his nerves. Sweat streamed from out of his pores as a mild panic attack struck.

"never…never"

*** 

"Yes… " Darrian Solvis said in a nasal voice, twirling wine within his challis. "The name is Malos Blackwater. I want him investigated and his movements tracked. He's got a maid. Blackmail her if you must. I don't care. I just want to know his involvement with the Empire. And if the opportunity should present itself, kill him. Yes. Yes. Payment will be whatever you name. Go investigate or whatever you guys do."

"Lord Solvis, " whispered a wheezing voice. "is… the… name correct?"

Darrian frowned. "it's the name he gave. Though I suppose someone with that much killing intent is also a liar." he scuffed, looking up towards the masked figure surrounded by a hazy black mist. "I guess your first mission is learning his true name. After all, names hold as much power as someone's blood."

"as… you… command," said the wheezing voice, fading into shadows. 

Drarrion hissed. "nasty little critters, those Shadowborns." He took a swig of his wine and closed his eyes. "I wonder… do they even bleed when they are cut? Is it even possible to cut darkness?"

He didn't know, nor did he care, as he gestured for a serving girl to fill his cup. He smiled, sizing her up. 

The serving girl was young, with long blonde hair, half-pointed ears, and a somewhat immature face. She couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen. 

"Half-Elf," he called, and the serving girl smiled, looking up at him. Her emerald eyes glinting beneath the torches."What's your name?"

 "Yenna, my lord."