Ambush

Far away in the snowy mountains there was a boy taking cover behind a tree, had his bow drawn and was aiming at a deer which was gazing below a pine tree. He released the arrow, it travelled in a straight path and got embedded straight into the eye of the deer. He was Khan the aspiring member of the main attack force of his warrior clan.

"Hmm that should be it for today's hunt." Khan said as he started skinning the deer. He wore a heavy brown coat which had a furry border around its hood and wore brown pants which had similar shade as his coat.

After the day he was reborn, his new name was approved by his warrior clan head. His first goal was to unlock his ki and perform successfully in his coming of age ceremony. With that he will join the clan's attack force.

Secret to unlocking his ki was meditation and feeling a mystical energy coursing through his veins. He meditated daily following his grandmother's instructions

The tribe in total had about 400 ki warriors of various clans. There were 4 warrior clans in the tribe namely Meskwaki clan, Nakoda clan, Odava clan and Yavapai clan. They all approximately had about 100 ki warriors each and their respective clan heads acted as generals of the Tribe leader.

Khan was a member of the Nakoda clan and his father was the right hand of the former Nakoda clan head.

Khan finished skinning the deer and put it on a makeshift flat wooden sledge which was pulled by his horse. He got up on the horse and started riding through the snowy forest towards his house.

He got near his clan's entrance and was seen by 2 gate guards who waved at him and he waved back at them.

"Oy, looks like he was successful in catching the deer amidst the magical beasts." said a guard over to his partner. "Yeah I can't get over the fact that how can a person's demeanour change so much in a few days" The second guard replied.

"Did you remember he was attacked by a magical beast?, it seems that he lost all his memories and when he came back he changed his name." said the first guard. "Yeah 'Khan' what a strange name."

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Khan went to a merchant to sell the pelts and skin of the deer. "Mister, I want to sell these items." he said to the merchant. "Deer pelts and skin for making leather, eh? It is worth 10 copper coins, what do you want to do kid?" questioned the merchant. "I will take the 10 coins." he answered.

He took the coins and went to the stable to keep his horse. As he was returning from the stable and going to his house, he was met with an incoming fist behind his back. He ducked down as the fist passed over his shoulder. He grabbed the assaulter's hand and performed a shoulder throw.

*wham* "*Cough-cough* damn I made sure to get him from his blindspot" mumbled the assaulter as he raised his hand signalling his friends to continue the ambush.

A boy came with a wooden pole and swung it downwards, Khan rolled away to dodge the strike and kicked the boy's shin. The boy fell and Khan elbowed him on his forehead as his nose drew blood. Khan took his knife out of its sheath, placed it above his neck and looked at the third ambusher who was behind a tree.

"Didn't you know that all the bullying had stopped after I had beaten down Foosha and his goons?" asked Khan.

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Foosha was a son of one of the best warriors in the Nakoda clan. He exercised his father's influence to make some friends and he extorted money from kids of his age group. Due to his insecurity among his peers, he targeted orphans who would attend the coming of age ceremony this year.

Due to Foosha's behaviour he was disliked by his father but his brother was overprotective of him. His brother was a ki warrior which was why people were hesitant to go up against him or complain to his father

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The third ambusher raised his hand in surrender and said "I ain't that brat's goon nor I have come to bully you. It was just a test." "A test?" asked Khan.

"Yes, we test people who are going for the coming of age ceremony 6 months later and those who fail in the ceremony join the army based on this test." answered the ambusher. "I thought only those who could use ki could join the attack force?"

"Yes and no, those who could use ki join their respective clan's attack force and those who are unable to have the option to pursue another career or join the main army of the tribe." answered the ambusher. "So the main army does not have ki warriors?" questioned Khan.

"The foot soldiers and it's counterparts consist of soldiers unable to use ki and the captains of the units of foot soldiers can use ki."

"But you just said that the people that couldn't use ki join the army." said Khan. "The people who couldn't use ki join the army but that does not mean that they will not be able to use ki for their whole lives. Also the main commander of the army is a 2nd level ki user." explained the ambusher.

"So in conclusion we can say that the clans are elite forces or trump cards of the tribe." said Khan. "Yes, precisely. Now enough of the chit-chat I will be on my way."

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After 10 minutes Khan reached his house. "I am home." he announced. Odelina came from the kitchen, took the meat and said "Thank you, now I will prepare for dinner."

At night after eating dinner and making small talk with Khan, Odelina said "It's time for your ki meditation."

Khan sat down cross legged and started meditating. "Take deep breaths and concentrate. You will feel something jammed inside of you. That is ki, you will have to force that open."

Khan was deep into his meditation, he concentrated on his soothing heartbeat and pulse. After every heartbeat he felt something like the blood flow was not smooth. He tried to concentrate more on that disturbance.

He opened his eyes and said "I feel some hindrance in my heartbeat but I cannot remove it." "Yes! that's the feeling we all feel at the first time. You just have to concentrate on that feeling and continue meditating most people unlock the ki in 6 months time." said Odelina.

"You should go to sleep, I will continue meditating." said Khan. She went to sleep as he continued to meditate for a few hours. After meditating he went to sleep.

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In a garden a tanned young man who stood 6 foot was performing martial arts moves, there was immense strength behind his blows. His moves were graceful like he was the avatar of some Shaolin kung fu master.

"Moussa I need your help." said a boy who had a bruised eye and battered face. "What happened! Why are you so beaten up Foosha?" said the man.

Moussa had recently grown his beard and had a habit of stroking it when he was brainstorming.

"It was Leo, when he came back alive after I sent him to the territory of the red wolves and had all his memories lost." said Foosha. "Get to the point and don't talk in circles." ordered Moussa.

"After he came back and recovered we went to finish the job when he went out to hunt but he beat up me and my four friends. He humiliated us and threatened to kill us!" explained Foosha as he went on and described how the fight went against him.

"So you are saying that you guys were totally outclassed by a boy who was weak as sh!t a few days back. What was his new name? 'Khan' right. This is going to be interesting."said Moussa as he rubbed his chin.

"Anyway do not tell anyone about this matter, I will take care of it." said Moussa as he shooed Foosha off.

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In the backyard of a wooden house that looked like a wealthy noble's cozy countryside cottage a man who seemed in his late 40s was reading through the reports on a paper.

"So these are the candidates for the coming of age ceremony. Lets see the candidates for Nakoda clan." he said as he browsed through the sheet of paper. " 'Foosha: Average combat capabilities and below average intelligence...' Typical son of an Isidima." Commented the man as he went through the reports.

" 'Xane: Exceptional dagger arts, above average intelligence...' Hmm would make a good assassin. 'Khan: Outstanding Physique, experienced in hand to hand combat and intelligence quotient not tested.' What good seeds, I hope they awaken Ki soon. "

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Khan woke up the next day as he ate breakfast and went out to exercise. "Granny I am going out." He announced. "Ok take care Khan." said Odelina.

'I need to study the political situation in the Tribe and Clan to increase my knowledge and it should provide me ways in which I can make my way to become the Tribal leader.' He thought as he started to warm up.

After he warmed up, he did some exercises to improve his strength. He started jogging towards the forest to increase his stamina levels. As he was going through the marketplace he heard someone say "Oye did you see that brat Foosha was beat up badly and went running towards Moussa's house yesterday?"

'This might be troublesome if he goes to his brother, after all level 1 warriors are no joke.' He thought as he went on jogging.

He saw a goon of Foosha tailing him from afar as he thought 'Immature, if he is tailing me then it means Moussa will be coming for me. I should interrogate him and prepare for Moussa.'