Ch23: Responsibilities, Part One

"For it is in your power to retire into yourself whenever you choose."

― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Mara's eyes fluttered open. The scene around her was peaceful, if ragged. The marble road under her was cracked and scorched. Lines of black spidered their way out from her position, charred fingers that triggered a memory.

"Ven!" Mara lept to her feet, only to launch herself into the air. "Ahhh!"

She traveled several meters before the sound of cracked stone followed her into the sky. The damaged ground below now had even more fissures. They radiated from where she'd jumped and ran up the sides of the nearby buildings.

"The little fish is fine, little cat." Kalina's head poked into her line of sight, a grin plastered on her face. "Congratulations on your breakthrough!"

"Thanks, I guess," Mara stabilized her tumble. "I'm still not used to my new strength yet though..."

"Well, that's normal!" Kalina danced across Mara's vision as she shook her little fists. "Your inner world is directly connected to your body now, so you've got way more explosive power!" She lunged and jabbed, a fight with imagined foes. "Nirvana tier cultivators can pop martial masters like soap bubbles!"

"I know that," Mara brushed the pixy away and pick a landing spot on the rapidly approaching ground. "But I'll need to practice before it's safe to walk around." She landed on a flat-topped roof. Two deep footprints formed in the smoothed marble, damage she purposefully ignore as she gingerly clambered down to the street.

"What happened with Ven and Rafe?" Mara gave Kalina a squint as she dusted herself off. "The last thing I remember is Ven getting tossed into my tribulation..."

"The little fish is still sleeping," Kalina pouted. "He's so lazy, he won't even leave his room to play with me!"

"Well, he did interfere in someone else's tribulation," Mara poked Kalina in her tiny cheeks. "That's supposed to be a death sentence."

"Ahhh!" The small goddess darted away from Mara's sharp nails. "Watch where you point those things, you villain!"

"You're fine..." Mara rolled her eyes at the fairy's antics. "Where is Ooulin?" Kalina and her turtle were inseparable, but Mara couldn't see the little fellow anywhere.

"He's with my little fish, I think he feels bad about using him." Kalina tilted her head. "But that's silly, we didn't do anything, our irresponsible parents are the bad actors here!"

"I guess..."

"Exactly!" Kalina said, pride visible on her tiny face. "I'm an innocent child, and so is little Ooulin. We've got nothing to do with anything!"

"Well let's go check on Ven," Mara turned the topic to something less shameless. "I want to make sure he's alright."

"Ok, fiiiine, we'll go..." Kalina gave an over-exaggerated sigh. "But he's so boring when he's asleep," She cupped her chin in one hand, as if searching for an idea. "I've already dressed him up in all the clothes I could find, and had all the tea parties I can stand..." She thumped her fist into her thimble of a palm. "I know, we can tie strings to him and use him like a puppet!"

"Wait, what..." Mara stuttered out too late. Kalina dove through the air, headed toward the Knight's Guild. She looked to the heavens and took a deep breath. Everything seems smaller now... fragile. Mara stretched her back and shoulders before she set off after Kalina, her voice chasing after the smaller woman.

"I really don't think he'll appreciate you doing that!!!"

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"Achoo!"

That's weird... what could make me sneeze in here? Ven drifted through his mental world, fat and lazy in his movements and thoughts. Whatever... His feet twitched, and he shifted into another cluster of small stars. He'd returned here rather easily this time, without losing concessions. He could no longer reach the system star, but it still released its tasty lights into the void.

He spent the last few days here, his body soaked in an overload of energy. It was heavy, hard to move, so Ven waited within himself. He was tempted to draw it into his cores with his aura, but it seemed to naturally bolster and evolve his cells. It shouldn't be too much longer... The power would soon be digested by his body. Then he would return to the labyrinth.

I'm betting that I'll be more equal with that fly this time. Ven's eyes glinted as he thought of the gold-green insect king. I'm going to squish it and eat its core. Ven grinned as he dreamed of the oversized crystal within the creature.

"Gwaaarr!"

The protests of the giant drifted into his ears. Ven glanced up and gave a bemused smile. The shadow figure charged toward the system star, relentless in its efforts. It never advanced closer than it was, no matter how quickly it raced forward.

"The system has forbidden us, my man..."

"Gwaaar!" The giant shook its head and continued the futile struggle.

"Ok bud, you do you." Ven shrugged. "Let me know if you make any progress."

"Gwwaarr!"

Since their encounter with the system space, the giant had become obsessed. The energy within was enough to refill his spent cores and more. They'd expanded several times their original size and held a luster that they'd lacked before. The gold orbs now contained an iridescent hue. Purples, greens, and blues now played about within the cores. The energy within them was denser, higher in quality than before.

My cultivation is almost twice as strong, but... His body was the real mystery. It had always been powerful. Now it was evolving further. The tribulation energy was something he shouldn't encounter for several breakthroughs. Who knows what effect it would have on someone who wasn't even a marital master?

"It's like I'm a mountain," Ven mumbled as he explored the continued changes. "Each step could shake the world..."

"Ven..."

Hmmm? Ven tilted his head.

"Ven are you alright?"

That sounds like Mara...

Ven closed his eyes and brought himself back to his body. The stary void around him vanished and the uncomfortable pressure returned.

"I'm fine Mara," He croaked out. Even his throat was swollen by the energy stuffed under his skin. "I just need to rest." Ven forced open his puffed eyelids and found the cat-kin's concerned face, just above his own.

"I'm glad..." Mara looked down at her feet, her tail locked in a windmill behind her. "Thank you Ven, Kalina told me about Ooulin's predictions."

"Hey," Ven raised a swollen hand and waved away her words. "What are friends for?"

"HEY!" Kalina chimed in as she settled onto Ven's chest. "Why did you wake up for her, and not ME!"

"Sorry," Ven laughed as the goddess kicked her feet against his bandaged skin. "But you've been rather annoying." An involintary shudder passed upwards from his toes. He'd woken to her call once, to find himself shoved into a skintight dress and propped up like a doll.

"MEAN!' Kalina charged forward, fists raised. "I'M GOING TO TELL ON YOU!"

"I'm going back to sleep..." Ven ignored the rain of squishy blows and turned back to Mara. "Keep her away from me, will you?"

"Not a chance!" Mara raised her hands, a grin on her face. "I won't get between her and her little fish."

"Traitor..." Ven leaned back and returned to his mental realm, a smile on his face. He let the burden of his body drift away and continued to munch down on the system's light.

"Help me get the ropes attached to his wrists!"

Kalina's voice filtered in, a hiccup in the peaceful atmosphere. He firmly ignored her words and their implications. Now was the time to rest.