Competition 2 (I): Departure

[The Journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step...that's total bullshit. Any cultivator worth his salt would know that a journey, any journey at all, begins the moment you decide to travel. There's no first step required, there's just acknowledgment, destination, and action.

You must acknowledge that you're going on a journey, and understand the reason for that journey. Then you have to know your destination, find out what price you have to pay to get to that point, understand the obstacles that would stand in your way, and figure out a plan to get rid of them. And then you must take action, for lack of a better word, that's the point where you haul ass and get moving.]

Bartholomew Álē

"...…..are you joking?" Anya asked in surprise.

"He's not." Ben answered, surprising both Alex and Anya.

Alex dropped his spoon beside his bowl of oats and studied his father for a bit. Ben was looking back at him, his gaze unwavering as he held the eyes of his son. Alex couldn't help but ask.

"Why aren't you surprised?" Ben shook his head as he answered.

"Even though your generation knows nothing of spirit kings, mine had grown up listening to stories about their exploit and power. And it's even more so for me, considering the Ale family is descended from a spirit king. That and the fact Alex's destiny to do, and experience great things have been known to me since his birth, this is just the tip of the ice berg."

Alex scrunches his face in annoyance as his father continued on with his breakfast. If there was one thing Alex sorely disliked, it was his father being cryptic and mysterious about his life. Alex feared there are secrets about himself, that he doesn't know about. Like the third hand that got amputated as a baby, or two extra eyes at the top of his head...okay those were exaggerated, but still Alex would really like his dad to be straight with him for once. But that was just an uphill battle.

"So what do you know about this destiny of his?" Anya asked with an inquisitive look on her face.

Alex has known Anya for ten years, it was more than enough time for them to get so in sync with the other, that their feelings are almost the same in a lot of situations. Alex wanted to ask the same question, but he didn't bother because his dad would lock up again and deviate the discussion into different waters.

"If I tell you his destiny, or at least the part I know off. You're both going to try everything in your power to mess it up. Whether passively or actively, so forget about it. Everything there is to be known about Alex would be gradually exposed to the world and discovered for himself. And you're going to be right there beside him to experience it...'sigh' I can only tell you one thing, and that is that you Anya, are a part of his destiny. And do you know how I know this, it's because you would protect and die for each other no matter what. Common sense dictates that you're both an important part of each other's destiny. Now eat up, we're almost late."

Alex wanted to throw up, and the feeling got even stronger when he saw the contemplative look on Anya's face. His father had gone and said stuff he's not supposed to say. Anya was strong in every sense of the word, but over the years her one weakness has always been her attachment to Alex, of course Alex was just as attached to her. The emotional connection between this two was so strong that it literally hurts if they're separated for more than three days.

So he knew without a doubt, Anya has planted the whole being each other's destiny deep in her head and heart. Which means his future was about to get really difficult. Alex glared at his father, but Ben pretended not to notice, of course the mischievous smile on his face said otherwise. Alex shook his head as he turned his head to look at red walking stick resting on his table.

The walking stick looked as if it was an entire tree that was shrunk, rather than it being carved from one. It's entire frame, if you ignore the floating words, or the carving of masks on the crown of the walking stick, was a rough and uneven tree like bark. It was rough to the touch, and tingles every time those words moved around. Alex had tried reading the words, but he found that they moved just fast enough that he was unable too, even if when he looked at it from afar their movements seemed rather slow.

After he woke up this morning he had tried so many methods to make the walking stick respond, but apart from giving him blank faced masks without any power of any sort, the stick was completely useless. Whatever it was that he was supposed to learn from it, he couldn't, because the damn thing refuses to work.

But his dad had said it might react when he's in the open meridian realm, because then he would be able to push Qi into the walking stick and elicit a reaction from it. It was not much to go on, but this was the only clue he had. When he got stronger hopefully the secrets of the walking stick would be exposed.

"Alright let's go, the teleportation array should be prepared by now" Ben said.

Alex choked on a spoonful of oats as he looked at his father with a surprised look on his face. Even Anya was shocked.

"Are we not going with the bus?" Anya asked.

"No we're not Anyaja, and for a number of reasons too. First your father is currently waiting for you at the bus stop, I'd rather avoid that man, and hope I don't see him for another ten years preferably if we should meet, it would be at you and Alex's wedding. Secondly the transport fare for the array has been reduced by a whole hundred percent so that the competitors can all get to the state capital in time to get some training done. And the third reason is actually connected to the second, we need to get there on time so that you both can choose a weapon, and a corresponding martial art, and a movement technique that you both can practice in the open meridian realm.

I noticed your fights, and from your explanation about the trials to be spirit king, the both of you are completely helpless against cultivators who use weapons, and your movements suck. It takes years to train someone on how to use just his body to challenge weapons, not to mention a higher realm is required, so in other to take care of that weakness of yours, you both need to learn to wield weapons. I've decided to seriously train you both, during the duration of the entire competition. Now get up, let's get going."

Ben ushered the two teenagers outside as they made their way back to the school. Their journey through the town was rather eventful as a lot of eyes were on them, especially Alex. A rumor had spread that in all of the villages in the state, he was the first and only person to have actually killed. All manner of descriptions of his blood thirsty character was being spread, and quite a lot of embellishments about how evil and dangerous his martial arts were. To be honest Alex was more ashamed than angry, and more embarrassed than happy of his fame, or infamy. But what could he do, this was totally out of his hands.

"Are you letting us go through the array just so that I can observe and see how an array really works?" Alex asked his father with suspicion in his voice. Ben shook his head and smiled, before answering.

"Well that's another reason, I forced you to learn all about arrays as a child. I told you it was a mental exercise, but that was a lie. I was trying to build a foundation for you to master the art of arrays. If you can comprehend it, then making money would not be a problem for you, it was for that very same reason I had Anya learn how to be a forger. That way the both of you can complement each other, and if you're separated you both can survive and take care of yourself should the need arise."

Alex could not help but muse about how it seemed his dad was more of a father to Anya than her own father ever was.

It was not as if Anya was not loved by her family, but for a girl as willful as she was, growing up in a home where the opinions of females were not really considered or respected, had caused her to build up a resentment for them. Alex didn't blame her though, he felt his family was dysfunctional and messed up, then he met Anya and had to rethink his stance.

Alex had learnt about arrays from the moment he could read at four years old. For the next ten years he burned through six volumes of array studies, covering the basic, intermediate, advanced and part of the professional levels of arrays. Thankfully he had a rather, strangely acute memory. It was not photographic memory per say, but Alex actually could remember things down to the smallest detail if he studied it long enough.

Arrays were made and powered by Qi, and could perform an unlimited number of functions. You just had to know the proper wards to use, and arrange them well enough to bring out their effects. It might seem simple, but it was s lot harder to practice than to study. As soon as they went through the gate of the school, they saw a giant archway made from some sort of black rock standing right in the middle of the battling platform.

The archway had glowing symbols etched on it's surface, and beyond the archway, a whirlpool of blackness could be seen twisting and whirling as tiny arcs of lightening snaked through it. This was a teleportation array, or as it's simply know, a spatial gate.

A predetermined location would have already been programmed into it, all Alex had to do was pay, and the attendant in that booth over there would activate the spatial gate from his computer. Simple as that.

They made their way forward, where they purchased their tickets and joined the rapidly moving line of travelers. Ten minutes later it was their turn, but before they went in, Alex turned to look at the town of Dekina one last time. He had experienced great changes and a call of destiny here. He made a silent vow to return to this place and uncover every hidden secrets within it's ancient and forgotten past. But with this next step, Alex knew he was getting further and further away from home. Then he turned and stepped through the gate.