7 The Guardian

The Forest – Unknown Qi World – Earth Year 2032

Gisael led me back to the glade where mother was waiting. They looked at one another and although no words passed between them it was clear they were communicating.

Gisael nodded and left towards the south.

"She goes to scout the feral," Mother explained. "I do not want to place you in danger unprepared. You will stay here with me."

She must have sensed my unease as I watched the Gisael's departing form. "Look at me," Mother ordered. "Gisael is not just a Guardian of our Forest. She is the Daughter and I am the Mother."

She had my attention and I met her gaze. "She is your daughter and successor?"

Mother tilted her head to the side, "These are titles. She is not the daughter of my womb." She paused choosing her words carefully, "I was once a Daughter and now I am the Mother of this domain."

I nodded showing my acceptance of her words even if I didn't fully comprehend them at the time. "What is my role?"

"You will be a Guardian also," she smiled warmly. "You will need a weapon befitting one of my Guardians."

She looked at my spear leaning against one of the trees at the edge of the glade. "It is normal for a Guardian to use a bow. While a few use a blade…" She did not ask a question, but in my mind, it was implied.

I thought about my preference and the circumstances. "I've never used a bow and I don't think we have the time for me to learn. I want to get into the action straight away."

I looked towards the part of the glade where Gisael had exited. Although she was a capable warrior, I felt the urge to fight by her side. I was uncomfortable that she was out there without me.

"You are free to choose a weapon. The Forest will provide."

I wondered what she meant by that and I was looking forward to finding it out soon. "Can I use a spear?"

"I can see that weapon calls to you," she said sagely. "Before one is provided, I need to know your name." She touched my chest. "The name that is you."

"I … ," I stammered, "I was Ben in the old world, but …," I struggled with my thoughts. In this place I was not Ben, I was not the person from my world. I was different. I had left my world behind, even if it was temporary, this new world was an escape that I could only dream of. A new body. A new start. A new life. I needed a new name.

"I can assist," she said. "In the old world you were Ben. Here you will be Benzhi."

My mouth opened and closed. "What does it mean, the zhi part?"

"It means quick and agile," she replied.

"I love it!"

"That is good, because it is your name," she said, and her laughter swept across the glade like a soft breeze.

After the laughter died, she turned back to the willow and a shiver ran up my spine. My jaw hit the ground when the trunk of the willow began to glow. She walked towards it slowly and I could feel the power. It was like energy was being sucked from all around towards the majestic tree.

I focused on the trunk and the blue glow seemed to be emanating from an orb within the tree. And when it pulsed, I reconsidered. It was a heart. The heart of the forest domain. Although my understanding of the system was rudimentary this was bloody obvious.

She reached up, her hand outstretched and the willow moved. A branch approached her hand until it was firmly in her grasp. I would have dropped a swear word, but I felt like I was witnessing some sort of sacred ceremony and the atmosphere kept my foul mouth under control.

When she pulled her hand away, she gripped a long piece of timber; the tree had gifted it to her.

She then took her other hand it stroked it lovingly. I was entranced as it changed shape at her touch. With each stroke it looked more like a spear. It was just a game, but I was excited to watch magic like this.

I was so engrossed, and time passed quickly, what felt like minutes was probably hours. When she was finally finished, she held it out towards me. I approached and took it reverently.

I wasn't sure what to do so I thanked her, the tree and the forest. I bowed and added, "I will honour this gift by using it to protect the forest."

She touched my shoulder gently. "This is good." She said quietly before adding. "I will rest now."

I looked up and she was gone. My instinct was confirmed. She somehow melded back into the tree. As if they were two parts of the same being. This qi world was not short on magic.

I inspected the spear. There were no metal components, but the tip was still razor sharp and flanged. It was light in colour and surprisingly heavy. I wasn't afraid of breaking it, so I put the butt on the ground and tested its flex. With enough force it bent nicely, which was what I was looking for.

I danced around the glade wielding the willow spear for the first time. Whirling it and jabbing at pretend foes. Since arriving at the glade my lump had undergone a transformation and the shape it had taken was strong and agile.

I did not quite look like Gisael or Mother, and I had no male Svartalfar to compare myself to, but I felt like one of them. I was part of their new clan. The third.

I checked my abilities and stats and there we no changes. Despite all my practice at tree running during the day it was still level one.

It was quite usable at this level, maybe because it was listed as an ability, and not a skill.

While my three abilities were static, my skills increased with practise. Of my three abilities I had only used tree-run, but the remaining two seemed self-explanatory so I decided to give them a try while waiting for Gisael to return.

I activated qi strike and thrust my spear. There was a sensation in my hands, and I thought I struck harder, but it wasn't obvious. I wasn't sure if it did anything.

I decided to activate qi body and my muscles felt invigorated. I did not have experience with performance enhancing drugs, but the sensation I felt was definitely a performance boost.

I jumped on the spot and was impressed with the result. With a little effort I was four feet off the ground from a standstill jump.

It was exciting and I wanted to ask Gisael about it as soon as I could. Hopefully she would be able to explain qi strike to me.

After a few hours of practice, I got sick of waiting for Gisael to return. "Gisael!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. I shouted twice more and then decided to rest until she returned.

It was getting dark and I saw little point trying to find her. Spear in hand I lay down next to the willow and shut my eyes. The grass was soft, and I didn't feel cold despite the open area.

She woke me with a kick. I assumed it was her because a feral would have just stabbed or clubbed me to death. And Mother probably would have spoken softly.

"Argh, what was that for?"

Gisael snarled, "Is it respectful for you to sleep here? Is it wise to scream my name and give away the location of the glade? Is it wrong to kick an idiot?"

"I slept here last night, and no one complained," I complained. I stood and faced her. "And if anyone came to the glade, I would have dealt with them."

"You were asleep!"

"I would have woken if you were an enemy."

She looked perplexed. "You have this ability?"

I grinned, "You better believe it baby." Ignoring her sceptical stare, I asked, "That reminds me. You need to show me how to use qi strike properly."

"You know qi strike?"

"I have it in my abilities, but I'm not sure how to use it," I replied.

She looked puzzled again, "You make no sense. How can you have this ability and not know how to use it!?"

It dawned on me that she and I were not the same. Where I had abilities and a HUD, like a game, she did not. Her abilities were probably innate.

I waved my hand dismissively, "Don't worry. I'll work it out."

"Can you use qi arrow?"

I shook my head.

"You are strange," she said and circled me. "I wonder what Mother sees in you." It was then she noticed my spear. She touched it reverently.

"This is what …," she broke off her sentence. "Oh Mother." She whispered and turned away from me.

I waited patiently and she whirled back towards me, she took a step and got right up in my face. I was still much taller than her, so she leaned upwards on her tippy toes. "You will earn this gift," she said strenuously.

Her nose was almost touching my chin. I could sense her strong feelings and at this moment she was damn attractive. She opened her mouth and closed it. I sensed she was fighting to control her emotions and was searching for the right words.

"Gisael, I have every intention to honour this gift even if I don't fully understand it." I touched her chest, "You just lead the way and I will begin clearing the forest of ferals."

She took a step back and looked toward the willow and then back to me. "Very well …,"

"Benzhi," I supplied before she could say idiot.

"Benzhi," she repeated my name. "We will see how you do. We will see." She then took a step forward and placed her palm on my chest. "One day you may earn my respect Benzhi, but right now, you are like a youngling apprentice."

I decided not to tell her that I had seen real combat in the real world. I would let my actions speak for me.

She nodded at my quiet acceptance of her words. "We go."

I followed after her athletic frame. I engaged qi body and tree-run, but I still could not keep up with her. Every half mile she would wait for me patiently.

We stopped near the forest's southern edge. She perched herself on the tallest tree and listened. The canopy from the smaller trees obscured our sight lines.

"Where are they?"

She waved her hand indicating they were below us and all over the place.

"Numbers?"

She shrugged and said, "Many."

I shook my head but held my criticism of her scouting. We could discuss it at a more appropriate time. "Tens? Hundreds? Thousands?" I whispered.

"Hundred," she said softly.

I looked at her and counted us. "Two," I said indicating her and me.

She nodded.

"Do we have a plan?" I asked, fearful there wasn't one.

"I shoot some and then move quickly into the forest. They cannot match my speed or range," she touched my spear. "This is not a good weapon for this type of fighting."

"What are they doing here?"

"Setting up a camp," she replied.

"Where did they come from?"

She pointed south.

"Why are they here?"

"Who would not want to live here. It's beautiful."

"Can we talk to them?" I asked. I didn't care, but I wondered if the Svartalfar ever dealt with the ferals diplomatically or was it the case they just killed them if they ventured on their turf.

She looked at me with scorn in her eyes. "They're destroyers with no sense of the forest. We kill a few and they leave the forest, or they will stay and die. Either way, the problem is solved."

"Okay," I said softly.

"You stay here," she ordered. "I will kill some, head north east and then come back here."

"What do you want me to do?"

She looked at me like I was an idiot, "Stay here!" And with that she scampered down and jumped across to another tree. Eventually I lost track of her until I heard the sounds of her attack.

Within moments the forest became alive with ferals shouting and screaming as she killed them.

"Stuff this," I said and with spear in hand I began to climb down.