The Marshal walked Volithur to the intermediate skill css for sparring. When Instructor Lisbet saw their approach, she called a halt to the action. “Css! Welcome Master Harridan back!”

  “Welcome, Master Harridan!”

  Volithur stood dumbfounded at the form of address. Master Harridan? Had his status really changed so drastically? Were they just messing with him because he’d been missing in action for a few weeks? The Marshal’s next words made clear exactly what was happening.

  “Students! I have been charged by the Lord General to prepare Ward Harridan to serve him. For several weeks, I have tutored him personally. Yet, as you all know, learning a combat art requires training against as many partners as possible. That means I need your assistance. Until I tell you otherwise, this css exists only to turn Ward Harridan into a capable warrior. You will discharge this duty by ruthlessly beating him into the ground. Do not hold back out of misguided charity. Ward Harridan may one day be charged with guarding the Lord General’s back. Any weakness in him must be removed. Do you understand me?”

  As the students roared their agreement, Volithur mouthed all the most vile obscenities he knew. He would certainly waste a lot of cosmic energy blocking strikes with his aura. Worse, he would certainly fail to block some of those strikes. He knew from experience that a body at the peak of level three was powerful. He also could say for a fact that it was not immune to pain and injury. Another thing he knew: blunted spears left horrific bruises.

  Volithur tried to ignore his misgivings as Instructor Lisbet directed him to stand across from another student. They were both handed spears and instructed to prepare for combat. When Lisbet ordered them to fight, the man swung his spear in a fast, powerful strike that promised to knock Volithur out if it connected.

  He almost froze up in indecision, unable to spot the true attack hidden behind the sloppy feint. Finally, he gave up his attempt to divine the proper response. He would just have to do his best. Volithur blocked with his aura and drove his spear home into the gut of his opponent.

  The match ended rather abruptly when his aura arrested the attack and the other student dropped like a sack of flour, clutching his midsection as he moaned. Volithur stared in shock, not quite grasping that he had won so simply.

  The Marshal stepped forward then to crify things. “I have personally trained Ward Harridan for the past several weeks! Underestimate him at your peril! Instructor Lisbet, continue.”

  Lisbet didn’t waste a second. “Rond, attack Master Harridan!”

  The next student charge forward and drove his spear point forward. Volithur deflected it, ducked under the obvious swing of the butt as it came in, and kicked his opponent back. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, each shocked at the turn of events. Neither had expected Volithur to weather the initial salvo.

  Then the fight was on in earnest. Volithur reacted mostly on instinct, deflecting blows with the haft of his spear or the power of his aura until he could find opportunities to strike back. Each thrust and swing was easily blocked by the other student.

  Their match endured for several minutes until Volithur’s opponent began to show signs of exhaustion. Weary of over-committing in case the dispy was a deception, Volithur picked up the pace. Soon it became obvious that the student was not faking his weariness. Volithur left his center line open to bait an attack.

  When his opponent’s spear tip stabbed forward, Volithur coated his hand with his aura and seized the oncoming point. He redirected its momentum and pulled it past him, causing the student to stumble. Volithur leaped forward to headbutt his opponent, using his aura to prevent any trauma to himself.

  The remaining students stared at Volithur’s downed opponent. One of them squeaked out a question. “How is he able to use his aura so often?”

  “He’s being wasteful,” the Marshal responded. “He cannot keep it up for long.”

  That observation proved accurate. Volithur defeated three more opponents before he realized he had spent three days of cultivation gains. When he began using his aura less frequently and with less intensity, things were no longer one-sided. He took several beatings that only ended when Instructor Lisbet decred his opponent the winner. None of those calls were even remotely contentious. Volithur had lost quite drastically to four of his opponents.

  When css ended, the Marshal thanked the other students and walked Volithur back to the pace. “You did well, Ward Harridan.”

  “I surprised myself, Master Marshal.”

  “I’m a good teacher. You also received a massive boost from the gold psma elixir. If I’m being honest, you also abused your cosmic energy reserves to purchase some of those victories. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you serve alongside the Lord General, you won’t want for resources. I’m going to train you more like a noble than a common soldier. You don’t have to be parsimonious with your energy. You shouldn’t waste it, mind you, but you don’t need to be cheap.”

  “I will be more efficient tomorrow, Master Marshal.”

  “I certainly hope so. Your lessons with the Sergeant are over for now. He has given you a passing grade on your domain basics. I expect you to develop fine control of your domain on your own from now on. I will periodically test your progress to ensure your diligence. Otherwise, use the time to cultivate. I want you to reach level four in the next two months.”

  The Marshal pulled a vial from inside his tunic. “To that end, I have a special gift. Sugar crystals from Tian. Its unsuitability for body enhancement makes it a good means of replenishing soul reserves. The significant cosmic energy contained within it will become unbound as soon as digestion begins, so be ready to cultivate.”

  Volithur shook the small vial once it was in his hands, watching the coarse powder shift. “I have never heard of using sugar from Tian.”

  “It’s both expensive and difficult to use. Most people ck the skill to use it properly and let most of the cosmic energy dissipate into the environment. It is also the case that soldiers are rarely given resources that don’t have a focus on body enhancement. Go and cultivate now.”

  Back in his room, Volithur pced the vial aside and perched on his favorite meditation chair. He would be saving the sugar crystals for his wife, of course. Very soon, his mind was occupied with the effort of chaos cultivation.

  Khana did not return until after lunch, which he had missed due to his preoccupation. She happily accepted the sugar, cultivated it for fifteen minutes, and then distracted him with kisses to the neck until he came to bed for a midday romp.

  Afterwards, he resumed his cultivation with renewed vigor until dinner. He stopped by the resource vault to receive some cosmic water and returned to his room to cultivate until past dusk. At some point Khana arrived and consumed the water.

  His extra hours of cultivation, combined with skipping his domain lesson, allowed him to recuperate most of what he had lost that day using his aura so freely. He was more spendthrift the next day in combat training, which hurt his performance considerably. He took quite a serious beating and would have needed an extended period of healing if his enhanced body didn’t shrug off so much of the damage. Instead, he walked away with extensive superficial bruising and the comfort of knowing he’d not set his progress back.

  Another day of intense cultivation followed, bringing Volithur’s energy reserves back to where they had been before his return to group csses. He spent some time considering his next move. He wanted to make a hard press for level four, yet the Marshal seemed to expect him to devote significant effort towards developing his domain skills. In the end, he decided to prioritize increasing his level. Doubling the potential strength of his domain would be helpful with the task set for him, after all.

  The days passed rapidly in most respects, yet seemed to drag on forever as the monotony of cultivation wore at him. He pushed on regardless, drawn by the lure of gaining power. Day passed after day. He took his beatings in combat training. He spent countless hours immobile while drawing in chaos. He ate rich foods. He made love to his wife.

  And, nine days after his return to group csses, Volithur finally broke through into the fourth level.