CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

  “Okay so, let me see if I’m hearing you correctly. You really intend to… fight… my battle alien… with that?” Shaper asked, shooting a dubious look towards his battle ready Kaiju.

  Not that he could really blame the divine archetype. If anything, this life stalker corpse was even less impressive than the last pile of roots, vines, and lawn clippings. Not that he didn’t still take immediate offense. Richard puffed up. Who was this kid to look down on his megaton monster of mass destruction? The nerve on this brat!

  “I have every confidence in my contender. It’s you that should be worried.”

  “Uh huh,” the kid didn’t sound convinced.

  As they glared at one another, locked in a frozen moment of sparking challenge, their living, breathing verdant environment continued on continuing on. Basically all business as usual. They sat cross legged within a quaint little grove, which itself sat nestled inside a bowl shaped crater—located atop the summit of the tallest forested mountain around. Birds sang, a distant creek burbled, and suddenly, like a sharp slap to the face, a declaration of war resounded. Cutting through the crisp morning air.

  “Why all the hesitancy? What? Don’t tell me you’re chicken.”

  Now it was Shaper’s turn to puff up indignantly. With his valor placed into question, the boy was left with no other option but to repay the insult in kind.

  “Fine, have it your way! But don’t blame me if your little compost pile is reduced to fertilizer by the time I’m done!”

  And so saying, the kid’s leafy green combatant exploded forward. Fists surrounded by a scarlet red aura, the way it moved, it resembled a greenish blur. Its arm reeled back, before planting itself in the gooey insides of the dead stalker’s remains. There was a sanguine flash, followed by a miniature hole blasted straight on through the heap of stinking detritus. Spattering Richard with bits of rotting fiber. Shaper smirked. Then faltered, when Richard did much the same.

  Something in Richard’s hand flashed, a jagged line drawn across his forearm. Richard barely even batting an eye as blood gushed from the wound. Instead, Richard flicked the welling blood towards his injured kaiju, splattering it liberally.

  In the next instant, the pile of roots and vines began to grow rapidly. Rampant, uncontrolled growth surging forth in every direction. Practically consuming the leafy green extraterrestrial in short order. Obscuring the battle alien behind a wall of searching roots and vines. Before the period of rapid growth eventually slowed. Then ceased altogether.

  There was a moment of tense silence following this little display. The only sounds they made the pitter patter of Richard’s blood painting the grass below. Finally, the silence was broken by the tinkling sounds of laughter. Shaper fell onto his back and rolled around on the ground. Richard didn’t know whether to be proud or offended.

  Eventually, the boy—god?—managed to get ahold of himself. Wiping a tear from his eye, the kid retook his seated position. He then fixed Richard with an unreadable expression. Immediately Richard could tell that, at least for the time being, they’d be doing without the irritating pretenses.

  “Well! That’s certainly one thing you could take away from the lesson plan, though I can’t really say that it’s the right thing,” he paused. “That said, I can’t really say that it’s the wrong thing either. Tell me, did you ignite the life energy in your blood before or after it left your body?”

  Richard blinked. Took a second to collect his thoughts before responding.

  “A little bit of both, actually. Initially I set my blood to a low burn, mostly to get a feel for the, uh, what was it you called it? The… frequency?

  “Roots. Resonance. Frequency. All words that describe the same core principle. The thrumming harmony which connects all living things.”

  “Right, so, I maintained a low burn to better tap into… whatever that is. Then, when it had- ahem, reached its intended destination, all that’d been left to do was up the intensity.”

  “And what on earth compelled you to use your own blood as a means of delivery?”

  “Is it that novel of a concept? As far as I can tell, the facts are as follows. Without a vessel, life energy can’t be manipulated or controlled. Where it has a susceptible vessel—ie muscle, blood, or bone—it can be cajoled and guided like any other energy. And, far as I’m aware, blood is the only one out of the three which you can lose repeatedly without the threat of long term consequences. I would’ve thought my solution to be pretty common.”

  “Oh, trust me it is. Every ambitious novice on the road to life mastery eventually stumbles upon that little shortcut. Subsequently thinks themselves the cat’s meow for discovering something no other person in existence has ever thought to try. Only to have a rude awakening when their elders swiftly disabuse them of such ridiculous notions. Beating their hides black and blue, until even the memory of such a forbidden technique is erased from the hearts and minds of such over eager youngsters.”

  Richard blanched.

  “Forbidden? Why is it forbidden?”

  “Hmm? Oh, because most of those who consider themselves among the ‘civilized races’ tend to see the practice as unsightly at best. That said, it’s quite popular among vampires, demon worshipers, blood cultists and the like. It wouldn’t be far fetched to say these insular groups and their bloody agenda’s played a significant role in how the technique of ‘bloodletting’ is generally seen today.”

  “Ah, I see. So… wait, does that mean…?” outwardly Richard tensed.

  He wouldn’t let this “bloodletting,” technique go without a fight, after all. Especially seeing as it was the only method he’d found, to date, which allowed him to manipulate external life energy. He couldn’t even sense it unless it came in the form of his own blood.

  “What? No. I could not care less about the superstitions of the greater multiverse. And, while I understand that a few hundred millennia of war does tend to stick with a generation, one more bloodletting practitioner will not another Supreme Blood Sultanate make.”

  “Ah… I see.”

  Well, that was both good for him, and infinitely concerning. One thing at a time, he reminded himself. He’d deal with it later.

  “I’m pleased you didn’t use the blood burning pills as a crutch,” his teacher—for that was what he was, apparently, turning out to be—smiled. “It is a hurdle many never learn to overcome.”

  Richard nodded. Briefly thought back to the side effects of those aforementioned pills. The migraines, the joint pain, the chronic diarrhea. And while they’d been instrumental instruction wise—Richard learning through imitation how to briefly ignite his own life energy, and then put it back out again—the idea of relying solely on those pills for a prolonged period of time was…

  Richard shuddered at the mere thought of it.

  “And can I assume the beasts served you well? If they hadn’t, I doubt you’d be looking nearly so hale.”

  Richard nodded again. It’d been a revelation to realize that suckling on the ropy vines of a dead life stalker—an act performed in greatest desperation—helped replenish his life energy directly. And while the taste left much to be desired, that single factor very quickly swapped the previous dynamic of predator and pray. It wasn’t long before the infernal creatures were running from him and not the other way around.

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  “Good. That’s good. Now, before we move on, in your own words, I want you to tell me what the burning of life energy is. Why we would willingly burn away something so precious. Something so crucial to our continued health and longevity?”

  Richards answer was immediate.

  “Power.”

  “Elaborate.”

  “The burning of one’s own life force has the capacity to grant incredible bursts of temporary strength, at the cost of extreme physical and mental fatigue. And, possibly, though I’m not one hundred percent on this, a reduction in overall lifespan. All of this combined makes for an especially attractive trump card. A last resort for when your back is up against a wall. To subvert the tempo of a losing fight, or break a stalemate. It also has the capacity to make plant life grow rapidly, though I’m still unsure how exactly that relates.”

  “All very astute observations. Well done.”

  “Thank you teacher,” Richard said with a respectful bow, and this time, his teacher didn’t dismiss his deference.

  “Now then. As for what happens next…? Your methods, while enjoyable, are rather crude and lacking. No where near what I would expect from my personal disciple.”

  Richard opened his mouth to protest, but his teacher raised a hand to cut him off.

  “I am well aware that this is at least partially my fault. I’m not ashamed to admit that you are my first ever student, and that I won’t get everything perfect the first time around. And though I still believe a self taught life master would be immensely gratifying, clearly I’ll have to take a more hands on approach moving forward.”

  Inwardly, Richard let out a whoop of joy. While on the outside he merely honored his teacher with another respectful bow.

  “Thank you teacher. I’m in your care.”

  “Good! Now, before anything else, the very first thing you need to know about life energy manipulation is-”

  “Uh- teacher, before you continue, if I could just ask a quick question?”

  Now that he’d officially agreed to teach him formally, his teacher appeared visibly displeased at the interruption. And while Richard squirmed inside, he thought that, after the ordeal he’d put him through, he was at least owed this much.

  “Go ahead.”

  “What would your answer have been? To the question, I mean?”

  His teacher blinked, then smiled.

  “What is the burning of life energy?”

  Richard nodded emphatically.

  “Well, as I said, you were fairly spot on in your assessment. In fact? The only thing I might seek to add would be more clarification. You questioned why an energy primarily used for brief bursts of speed and power should also aid in the growth of plant life? Well, that’s because one of your initial assumptions fell slightly short of the mark.

  “The power you feel in those brief instances doesn’t come at the cost of whatever it may be. It is that cost. In its totality. Concentrated down to a single point in time.

  “You ask why, when a drop of burning life force spatters the earth, rampant growth is the natural result? The answer is quite simple. It’s because all of the potential contained within however many days, weeks, or even years that single drop of life energy represents, is then passed on all at once—evoking a full four seasons worth of forward progress in mere moments.

  “Once, I referred to the burning of life energy as the forever-engine of forward progress, but that isn’t inherently true. Life energy, by it’s nature, is indeed the facilitator of forward progress. A thing that is constantly seeking. Seeking for growth, evolution, and, above all, perfection. The burning of it on the other hand…? Actually, disciple, you tell me. What is the burning of such a primeval force of advancement?”

  Richard, who’s eyes had grown progressively round as his teacher- no, as his master spoke, suddenly realized that he knew the answer. And that this one truth could very well change everything.

  “The burning of life energy is potential energy expedited. What would have happened, if it insteadhappened all at once…”

  “Exactly that! Now, if only you catch onto the unspoken nature of the other two primary energy types, we might just make a decent disciple of you yet.”

  Richard jolted. Picking his jaw up off the floor just long enough to choke out.

  “Wait! Y-you’re saying there’s more?!”

  +++

  It started with a leak from an anonymous source. Then came the mass coverage from a number of less than reputable news outlets. And not long after, came the online buzz. Unchecked violence paired with a face so cute you could eat it all up, quickly morphing fleeting curiosity into cumulative hype. Hype which, in turn, promptly became widespread media attention.

  Those traditional media outlets with their fingers on the pulse scrambling to secure exclusive media rights to the ongoing tutorial. Even as accomplished hackers, the galaxy over, graciously went out of their way to release said live-feeds for free. More and more viewers tuning in through official and unofficial channels alike, just to see what all the fuss was about.

  All of this culminating in a fleeting, if widely polarizing event, that nevertheless struck a cord with the hearts and minds of millions. Be that for better, or for worse.

  In retrospect, it was barely a blip on the intergalactic radar. A small spike of interest briefly stirring up the zeitgeist of a turning millennia. Some would later go on to dub it a gross overreaction. A brief bout of mass hysteria, or else the perfect intersection of luck, commercial greed, and circumstance. While others still would deem it the very first glimpse at a star in the making.

  And so it was that, upon countless devices, dominating a multitude of broadcasts, across innumerable worlds and waypoints and sectors, the same exact spectacle aired in real time.

  When all seemed hopeless, and death bore down on the fickle feed’s fifteen minute darling—as children buried faces into shoulders, bartenders made to change the channel, and media outlets scrambled to cut the broadcast—something truly unexpected happened. Not altogether impressive, given the over-inflated standards of the multiverse as a whole, but still surprising given the where and when.

  A grand intersection of luck and circumstance indeed.

  An elemental storm leapt from the baby’s outstretched fingers. A flowering bouquet of raging elements spilling forth as if from an invisible tap. White lightning arced, followed by a warbling pillar of heat haze speckled with flaring gray embers. Icy frost spreading across the ground like frothing river rapids. Rime covered stone which quickly shattered beneath the pressure wave of a tight cone of force. Force which harbored hardened blades of air. And all of it moving with the sudden acceleration of a bullet train.

  A howling cyclone which snapped, and crackled, and popped. As frigid, as it was scorching, as it was electrifying respectfully. And while the figure many had likewise deemed hatchet man—or their cultural equivalent—had the wherewithal to leap aside just in the nick of time, those trailing after him were not nearly so lucky. The spearing wall of conflicting forces barreling through two such unimpressive shadow wraiths. An aquatic rogue and a bare chested minotaur respectively. Conflicting forces quite literally tearing their bodies apart.

  Overwhelming their considerable constitutions, until they popped like a pair of smoke filled soap bubbles.

  There, the shadow wraiths faltered. Hatchet Man becoming uncharacteristically wary. The galaxy holding its breath in anticipation.

  And, it was in that pregnant pause, almost in spite of the growing tension, that—as casually as you breathe—the oblivious young starlet proceeded to snap the joints of his singed fingers back into place, one after another. This was enough of a break in form to allow for a collective exhale of breath.

  As if a forest hesitantly coming alive in the sudden absence of an apex predator, nervous chatter quickly proliferated. Jokes and insults slung over mugs of ale. Shouts punctuating the raucous din of asteroid belt canteens the galaxy over. Excited whispers exchanged between students over cleverly hidden handhelds. While, within the hallowed halls of higher academia, wild speculation circulated on the exact nature of the strange artifact in question.

  And yet, while, at a glance, many would agree the very worst had been averted, the general consensus in that moment was almost unanimous.

  “Neat trick, but I doubt the kid’s got many more like that on him.”

  The smell of coffee permeated the cheap, way-station diner, mixing with the scents of sour sweat and candy flavored vapor. An outdated hollow screen flickered above a bar packed shoulder to shoulder. A batch of overalled asteroid miners catching a quick bite to eat, before heading back out to finish their fifteen hour shift. All eyes glued to the screen and it’s patchy signal.

  “Yeah. Look at him. Boy’s wet himself I bet. Look at him tremble.”

  “Probably stumbled onto some scrap shite system event, or found some scrap shite inheritance to plunder, then thought he was hot stuff. Well, to that I say, welcome to the real world pal!”

  There were a few mean chuckles at this, mostly from the biggest and meanest of the bunch, while those that disagreed merely stared more attentively at their meals.

  “Swear it ain’t right the way they get stuff like that handed out for free. Then again, it’s still early days yet, aye lads? How much you wanna bet he runs all out of freebies before I run out of ale?”

  “As if, you damned cheat. You’ll just take your sweet damn time and ruin the pot for everyone!”

  “I’m drinking it aren’t I?”

  “Taking dainty little sips more like!”

  More laughter.

  “Aye well, the kid’s a goner no matter which way you look at it. So he lucked into an artifact. Whoop-de-doo. Unless he’s got a couple dozen more of them burning a hole in his back pocket, I don’t see how-”

  The miner’s rant was cut off by the striking activation of a second such talisman.

  SNAP POP!

  Quickly followed by a third.

  CRACKLE BANG!

  Then a forth.

  CRACK ROAR!

  Then a fifth. The colorful spectacle reflected in the wide eyes of the diner’s many occupants.

  “Huh…. M-must’ve been one lucky inheritance…”