The Heavens Shall Fall

Seloryn did not take Siu to the public training grounds, which, after thinking about it, made sense. At first, Siu thought they were heading toward one of the floating arenas he had seen from the ridge. Still, Seloryn only glanced at them once, then continued past the road leading to the nearest chain bridge, going straight past them, and moved instead toward a narrower path that went around the side of the mountain.

“This whole place feels like a labyrinth,” Siu said, breaking the silence.

"Don't worry, I will escort you back." Seloryn said with a chuckle, "And I saw where you were looking."

"She does have a nice bottom..." Arya muttered thoughtfully, but Siu ignored it, because he did NOT look at that in the first place.

“Those are mostly for public challenges," Seloryn continued in the meantime, nodding towards the floating arenas, "they must be scheduled ahead of time for duels and faction matches. Some people train there, but only when they are holding a demonstration.”

“I gathered as much after we walked by them. I guess, actual training happens in private, to keep up one's secrecy.”

She laughed softly, nodding her head, and as she did so, Siu picked up on something Seloryn was doing subconsciously, at least, according to his current opinion. While talking, he was paying attention to how essence moved through her, and since entering the Blood Resonance stage, he could somewhat... feel it. As for whether it was because of his affinity for copying or not, he couldn't tell, but he was sure that her laughter was not just laughter. It carried a thin trail of essence with it. It was not a technique per se, but an overflow of what she had in her, naturally affecting her voice. Which, in turn, made Siu wonder whether her affinity had to do with sound... or wind? Because it could be her breath...

"What?" She asked, noticing his gaze, unbothered by it.

"I was thinking what affinity Senior has."

"Ah, calling me Senior suddenly?" She chuckled again, and he caught the same feeling. It had no real effect on him, suggesting once again that she wasn't doing it intentionally, but it made her sound much more... charming. "Glad you realize the fact. Anyway, you will see my affinity soon enough, don't you worry!"

With that, Seloryn led him down the narrow path until the noise of the main road was gone. The buildings here were fewer, spaced farther apart, and most were hidden behind walls, with no visible doors, signaling that they were private areas. A few had signs, but they were not shop signs; instead, personal markers, faction seals, and the like.

“Here,” Seloryn said at last, drawing his attention back to her.

She stopped before what looked like a small courtyard tucked into the side of a cliff, surrounded by a high stone wall. Seloryn placed her palm against the plaque and hummed, and, before their eyes, a door appeared, allowing her to tap it and watch as it slid apart, letting the two of them in.

"It's mine," she glanced back at him, saying it with a smile, "Attached to my home, so... Welcome, I guess?"

"You brought me to your home?" Siu asked, surprised, as she followed her in.

“I'm not a hiding hermit!” She rolled her eyes at that, her chuckle drowned out by the closing door behind them.

The courtyard opened into a private arena, and he was sure, although he could see no other doors, that did not mean there weren't any leading to her abode. The space itself was circular and much larger than the outside suggested, though he was no longer surprised by that. The floor was made out of gray stone, marked with faint ring patterns and small embedded crystals around the edges. The ceiling was open, and as he looked up, he couldn't see any bridges going across, meaning curious disciples wouldn't be able to look down and spy on them. Though he was also sure there would be defensive measures put up against something trivial like that. At the far side of him, he noticed a rack of practice weapons, though most were not made of wood. Instead, they were metal rods, blunt spears, short staffs, weighted cords, and... instruments? Actual instruments? He saw flutes, bells, small drums, stringed frames, and things Siu could not name at all.

"Don't just stand there, come in," Seloryn walked to the center of the arena, watching him.

"Mhm," Siu stepped further in, with a nod, while Marly climbed up to his other shoulder, her ears twitching.

“It is quiet here...”

She was right. Listening to his own footsteps, he did not hear any echo... When trying to slam his foot a bit stronger, the scrape of his sole against stone sounded clear, but it did not echo again. When he breathed, he heard it, too, but the sound vanished after a short while

"Sharp," Seloryn watched him notice it. "It is soundproofed; nobody would know what we are doing in here."

"Master, she is more kinky than I thought," Arya added at once.

"Is your affinity related to sound?" Siu asked, getting more and more sure about it.

Seloryn only smiled as she drew her flute from her sash, spinning it once between her fingers before holding it loosely at her side. Up close, it looked delicate, made out of silver-white metal, being slim and polished to a mirror-sheen, with small dark inlays near the finger holes and a line of tiny golden script along its length. But when she let it rest against her palm, Siu heard a faint, heavy click.

“You use that in melee...” he said suddenly, measuring it with furrowed brows.

"..." Seloryn smiled, as her eyes flashed once, “You noticed? How? Usually, those who have never seen me fight get a bonk on the head before they realize I'm willing to swing it around.”

“It sounded too sturdy to be decorative.” He shrugged, "And the way you twirled it suggested it, too. I was still a bit unsure, that's why I asked."

“Heh!” She lifted it slightly, showing it to him. “You are dangerous, more than I think I was expecting.” Then, she pointed to the two small circles near the arena’s edge. “Your companions can watch from there. The formations will protect them from anything not aimed directly at them. Just tell the two not to leave it, or I can't guarantee their safety.”

“I understand, but," Siu said with one brow raised, "They are part of my fighting style.” He knew the two were eager to fight with him, but, apparently, Seloryn wanted a one-on-one.

“I know.” Her tone softened slightly, but the answer did not change. “Not for the first round, okay? I want you to focus on us for this spar, because it is a lesson one must learn when joining the inner disciples...”

"Why are you helping me...?" He asked suddenly.

"The same reason that I told you when I took up your offer back then. If you want more, then take it as me attaching myself to you early. I have seen talents, I am one myself... I know when someone has the potential to be great."

"I see," Siu simply nodded, not really knowing what to feel, but he knew he liked her, so he wasn't going to refuse. “Stay there for now.” He said simply.

Arya looked offended, but she hopped down anyway, while Marly followed her, though she kept looking between Seloryn and Siu with worried eyes.

“Master, don’t lose too badly,” Arya said with a snort.

“Very supportive. Thank you.” He answered back with a smile.

“We would have lost anyway,” she shrugged, making Siu feel touched that even then, the two of them would have fought with him, "But without us, just make sure it's not an embarrassing loss!"

“I’ll try.”

By then, the two beasts settled into the circles. When Seloryn snapped her fingers, the noise prompted a reaction as a faint veil rose around them, transparent but tangible enough that Arya immediately poked it with the tip of her tail. Watching them, Seloryn waited until they were still, then turned back to Siu.

“Before we begin, tell me what you know about Blood Resonance.”

"Not much," Siu rolled his shoulders and stepped into a loose stance, doing stretches, “Only the basics: Now, essence permeates all through my bloodstream. My body begins using it directly, allowing bursts of supernatural strength and speed, as well as the manifestation of my affinity.”

“A library answer.”

“It is indeed that.” He nodded, "It was what was written in the books."

"There is more to it, of course. But... Reading about it and seeing it are different things." Seloryn lifted the flute and tapped it once against her shoulder. "First and foremost, Blood Resonance is not a single stage. Some elders divide it differently, but the consensus is that it is broken into early, stable, deep, and peak resonance. It is the same labels we use inside the sect, because it is the best to describe someone's proficiency within it, despite each and every disciple experiences it differently.”

“Which stage are you at?”

“Stable.” She answered simply, "I began working on deepening it for the past two and a half years." Siu said nothing to that, still focusing on her. “Four things matter most,” Seloryn continued, seeing his serious look. “The first one: How much essence your body can store in your blood. Your body is your container, and it determines how much essence you can store within you.”

"Mhm." Siu nodded as he thought, already experiencing how it felt to be emptied, and since that day on, he never once felt himself to be full again... Yet. Which meant... was his container leaking, or was it still too big for him to fill back up?

“Second,” she continued, “it is very important how quickly you can access that essence. A large container is useless if you can only pour from it drop by drop. Some disciples have enormous reserves, but their techniques are sluggish because they can't let it flow. Others have smaller reserves but can draw on them instantly, giving them exceptional destructive power.”

"I see." He nodded again, memorizing every word she was saying.

“Third is all about replenishment. After spending it, your marrow will do its best and produce and refresh your blood. Your breathing technique draws essence from outside to complement it. The two of them together will decide how well your body can refill what it has used. This part is the most influenced by what you learn. It is why we in the sect have a great advantage: On your first day, a Grand Elder helped you create your breathing technique. It was done to ensure you have an advantage when reaching this step."

"Yes." He nodded, not wanting to mention that he already had a breathing technique tailored to his physique.

"Fourth,” Seloryn continued, and now she raised her flute properly, “is all about control. The amount you can store, the speed at which you can access it, and the rate at which you replenish it mean little if you waste half of what you have. An amateur, idiotic cultivator spends ten times more to do something simple... A proper genius spends a tenth of what is written in the manuals to pull a spell off."

“According to my earlier examination, that is where I lack a lot.”

“I see.” Her eyes gleamed as she examined him. “I'll try to help you with that, that is why we train. Still, your current problem,” she continued, “is that you have entered Blood Resonance, but you don't get what it means. I was the same, then I ate dirt in my first match.”

"..."

"You think you won't?" She asked with a smile, seeing him stand there, silent.

"Not immediately." He said with confidence, watching as Seloryn's lips parted for an inhale and... one moment she stood across from him, and the next her flute was coming toward his ribs.

Siu reacted on instinct, shifting into the Wild Cat, stepping back and to the side while his arm came down to deflect. He expected the flute to strike like a staff, but as it neared his body, Seloryn’s wrist twisted, and the weapon tapped the air instead of him. Through the rushing wind, and her holding down one hole on it, a shrill note rang out, then Siu’s left leg went numb.

“What—?!”

He was already stumbling when the flute struck his shoulder, and the impact sent a ripple through his collarbone, and for a second, his entire arm felt numb, slowing him enough that Seloryn simply stepped away before he could counter.

“First lesson,” she said, still smiling, “You must protect your senses with part of your essence in your blood. You already guessed that I use sound-type attacks, which was very good. But you don't know that Blood Resonance cultivators can manifest their abilities at will. I can control what your ears hear and what effect they have on you. Even if you don't understand it, you must defend against it. There are countless abilities in the world, and you can't be prepared for every one of them. So, the first step to that is using part of the essence in your blood for your own protection.”

"I will have to... learn that, yeah..." Siu rolled his shoulder with a grunt, feeling it ache as the numbing sensation disappeared and every returned to normal, same with his leg.

“Now... Let me see how you move.”

For his attack, he did not go for the Snake Form immediately. Instead, he closed the distance with the Wild Cat's footwork, masked to look like the Crane's, while also reading her shoulders, her wrist, waiting for her to use the flute to counter him. Seloryn watched him with a faint smile, then stepped back once, her heel tapping the stone, and just the sound of that step cracked like thunder, and the next moment, three Seloryns appeared before him. Immediately, Siu’s eyes narrowed, while Arya sat up behind the veil, yelling at the two.

“Illusions!”

“I'm afraid these are only in our heads!” Siu shot back because he knew it was because of the sound she made, so it had to be something only those who had their ears punctured by the loud bang could see. Which made distinguishing them even harder, as far as his brain was concerned, they were all real.

Inhaling just then, trying to use his own essence to expel any changes Seloryn made, turned out to be the right move. He could feel his own flow being disturbed, which caused him to see the illusions in the first place. As his blood tried to 'fix' the issue, he could now tell that two of the three Seloryns were... off. The left one was real... He decided at once, seeing that the left one was the only one which, as she moved, made noise. Instinctively, he was already reading her technique, and although copying was not something he would be able to do, he could feel it being the source. So, he struck toward her. Almost at once, the flute in Seloryn's hand intercepted his own, slamming down on his wrist, and a sharp vibration ran up his arm, making his fingers open against his will. Seloryn stepped into his path just then, her shoulder making contact with his chest, and the butt of the flute landed in his sternum, breaking his breathing apart. He felt like he had rammed a solid wall that redirected all the rebounding force back into him, sending him flying. A moment later, he had landed on his back as he hit ground with a loud, painful thud. For one terrible moment, lying there, he could not remember the sequence of his own breathing technique, before his lungs got unstuck, breathing in sharply.

"That was... quick." She said, leaning over him, watching with amazement in her eyes.

"Ouch..." Siu said simply, still lying there, not wanting to move again. She was worse than Elder Thane!

“Second lesson,” she said with an embarrassed giggle. “You can't shift from defense to attack; you must always keep your defense up, because if you lower it, your opponent will have an easier time counterattacking.”

"I know that..." Siu inhaled carefully, rebuilding the sequence, doing his best to gather himself and expel all the pain through his mouth.

“And now you are experiencing it live. It will help... more than fighting images in your head.”

“Can you stop someone from using essence entirely?” Siu asked suddenly, wanting to give himself a bit more time before he had to get back up.

“At my current level?" She asked back, thinking he meant her, "Well, for a brief moment, against someone weaker or careless, I could prompt them to stop using it. Against someone at my level or stronger? Absolutely not.”

"Did I eat enough dirt already?" He asked after a brief pause, letting out a moan, mixed with a chuckle.

"Ahaha!" She laughed even louder now, pulling him up from the ground, "I still have two more lessons for you. And as a tip, try using your essence to protect your hearing. That will rob me of one of my core strengths!"

"I don't even know how." He complained, but everyone could tell he wasn't serious, as he returned to a fighting stance.

"That's why we have this spar." She stepped back, facing him again, "Feel the essence flow inside of you... and guide it as before. You managed to find the real me, so you have the basics down. You just need a bit more... Well, tangible motivation."

And with that, she twirled his flute again, making it sing without blowing into it, sending shivers down Siu's back.