[Voidknight Ascension] Chapter 268 – Sturdier Than Expected

Sam returned to the Scarlet Lotus later that day, his inventory stuffed full of new things from the Empire. He could have spent weeks exploring the markets and still not see a tenth of what they had on display.

He had little interest in entertaining offers from the various guilds that approached him while shopping. He was more than happy where he was.

Zahif was one of the Masters of the Scarlet Lotus. One who was willing to train him. If there was anything Sam was lacking, it was proper hand-to-hand combat.

Besides, he felt a connection here. This place was where Komachi first gained her Path. Where Zarishna brought him into the fold. Even if she wasn’t his Zarishna.

Well, maybe not. I know there’s something going on in the Scarlet Lotus that’s more than it really seems, but I’m not here to stay. To get too familiar. What if I end up drastically changing something?

Yeah, like Pineapple Sam? his thoughts snapped back at him. You’re lucky your arm hasn’t started fading away already.

That didn’t mean he had to wait around doing nothing until some opportunity fell into his lap to grab the Lumanot.

Though it did bother him more than a little that he had two Lumanots to go and only one within reach. He didn’t know exactly what year Zarishna came from. They had never spoken about it that he could recall.

Apparently, she didn’t think that was important enough to tell him. Not that he could blame her. The Proving Grounds transported him to wherever a Lumanot went missing during the Empire’s history. Sam would have needed a comprehensive lesson in the entire history of the Empire. Even then, it was likely he would have forgotten some key event.

It was hard to imagine that he’d leave with the Lumanot, only to come back a few years or a decade later. Zarishna hardly looked past her middle years. And they were damn good middle years at that.

Which only made him question where the second one was at.

Sam had tons of things to work on. With the easily accessible resources of the twinned cities to support his endeavors, he could try out creations and training that would be significantly harder on Sil’mara.

With a start, he realized he hadn’t thought about Sil’mara for some time. Feeling guilty, he hoped that however much time was passing for Raiko and his friends that they hadn’t forgotten him.

Like you nearly forgot about them aboard the Wavedancer?

Komachi swatted Sam’s arm. She could tell when he was beating himself up and was always quick to snap him out of it.

Sam rubbed her head affectionately, flattening her ears in the process. “Good cat.”

Komachi purred like a jet engine, clutching the new magical paint brush. It was like the bronze armor he made for her all over again. Komachi absolutely loved the brush with the fervor of a childhood memento.

As it turned out, by teaching the Wavedancer crew about her Bard Job and her musical healing, Komachi had paved the way for a renaissance of magic within the Empire.

It didn’t take long for the arts to expand with more magic than Sam could imagine. In a way, Komachi made her new Path’s tools possible by laying the foundation a hundred years ago.

“It’s kind of like it was always meant to be,” Sam remarked. “You getting this Path. Where else would you be able to find the exact instruments you would need? Or teachers willing to instruct you in the arts of mystical painting?”

“Truly, Machi is a genius! A two brain cell genius that totes planned this all out!” She nodded eagerly, then continued with a more serious tone. “Gotta be honest, I don’t mind changing some things about the Empire’s history. We’re not some stealthy ninjas, ready to hide like a bunch o’ hermits until the time is right to strike!”

He could imagine Raiko being dedicated enough to fulfill her duty to the letter, but that wasn’t Sam and Komachi’s way. Though the two of them were at similar plateaus of power, he was new to this.

Not too long ago he didn’t know what mana felt like. It was just a vague idea that belonged in games.

“Way to mix up the metaphors.” Sam scooped Komachi up and hugged her tightly before setting her back down. “I know we’ll end up having to leave abruptly, but I can’t help feeling attached to this place. From everything Zarishna told us…it almost feels like home.”

Sil’mara was Sam’s home. He knew it in his bones, but that didn’t mean he would be happy to leave the Empire. If his hunch was right and he would eventually find two Lumanots somehow, this would be the last time he would ever set foot in the Empire.

As much as he was honest with Komachi about finding a way back, he didn’t hold out much hope. The Empire, as far as Sam knew, was not part of the Lesser Shardrune of Il’dran.

Of course, that invited questions about how he got here in the first place. If they weren’t connected on some level, being here would be impossible.

Despite himself, he began to hope.

The end result, however, was the same. He would be leaving it behind for a time. Years or decades perhaps.

With that knowledge weighing heavily on his heart, Sam determined to live every moment in the Empire to the fullest. He would shamelessly use his newfound fame and notoriety to seek out the best teachers and merchants.

What money they had, Sam would gladly spend it all. He had so many ideas after seeing the craftsman’s quarter of the city that he almost wanted to blow off his training with Zahif to go beg an apprenticeship from one of the blacksmiths.

If he could bring back some of the Empire’s wondrous creations, he could catapult Sil’mara into the future and secure its peace and prosperity for generations to come.

With such innovations, Sam could pass off some of the responsibility of leading Sil’mara to somebody else. Somebody who would be happy to stay behind while he went off and explored everything there was to see in Il’dran.

I’m only on the First Layer, Sam reminded himself. There is so much more out there that I can’t even imagine.

He couldn’t suppress the thrill of excitement that surged through his veins. Once he was back on Sil’mara, everything would change.

Until then, Sam had a martial arts master to see, and a million other things to do.

“You sure you’re going to be okay on your own for your training? I’m just going to be down the hall if you need me.”

“Yep! I’ll be fine,” Komachi said, surrounded by two teachers of her own. “Same goes for you, Sam.”

It was the first time in a long while that they wouldn’t be close to one another. It was too likely for monster attacks on Sil’mara to risk being separated. The one time that happened, Raiko had saved Komachi from being snatched by a flying dinosaur of all things.

It had made Sam reluctant to leave her ever since.

Sam couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about his separation from her. They were always side-by-side. Through thick and thin. He had to remember that the Empire was safe.

For a given value of “safe”, he thought to himself. Safe enough would be more accurate. Safer than Sil’mara, most definitely. Especially for the people bunkered within the stout magically reinforced walls.

With an affectionate pat on her rump, her tail raising like a flagpole, Sam went to meet his new teacher.

It felt odd being taught by Zahif. Not that he doubted his skill or his strength. It had been clear when he first saw the man that he was stronger and more skilled than Sam.

Which would have been weird if he wasn’t, Sam thought to himself. A hundred years to catch up to me? That should be easy.

Still, he felt oddly uncomfortable with the prospect. Perhaps it was because just a little more than a day ago Zahif was a snotty little kid who liked to make fart noises with his hands and chased Komachi back and forth across the deck when the seas were calm.

It had been a good life.

Despite the loss, Sam felt proud of Zahif. He knew he had no right to the feeling. Zahif had hardly spent a few weeks with Sam. Barely enough to know somebody, let alone dramatically impact their life.

And yet Sam couldn’t shake the image of Zahif prostrate before him, profusely thanking him for what he did. As if Sam had been his father.

I would have been, he realized.

The loss tugged at his heart as Sam entered the training hall to find Zahif in a meditative pose far in the back of the room.

Etched deeply into the walls were magical sigils glowing a dull cobalt blue. Rack upon rack, filled with countless armaments, neatly bordered the otherwise spartan room.

Well over a dozen people were in attendance, seated in an area that seemed purpose-built for spectators to Sam’s right.

On his left, Zahif rose and bowed to him. “Promptness? I did not expect it from you, Samuel Hunter.”

Sam chuckled and shut the door behind him. He stepped up to the center of the room, doing his best to ignore the many people behind him.

He recognized over half of them. Each wore the insignia of the Scarlet Lotus, marking them out as full members of the secretive society. As to what the society did, Sam could only guess.

Judging by the weaponry and martial experts they had on call, Sam didn’t think it was underwater basket weaving.

“I am a different man than the one you knew on the Wavedancer,” Sam told him.

Zahif chuckled and approached him. “That, I do not doubt, though not for the reasons you believe. How long has it been?”

The pain must have been evident on Sam’s face, because Zahif’s chuckle was cut short. “I am sorry,” he said. “I did not think of the loss–”

Sam held up a hand. They were close enough that he felt he could drop his voice so only Zahif could hear him. “Neither can I,” he admitted. “Little more than a day ago you were a child sitting on my shoulders begging to get higher so you could reach Komachi atop the crates. I…am sorry I was not there for you.”

Zahif reached out and embraced Sam, bending him down gently to give him a soft, almost formal kiss on the forehead. “To you whom I owe everything, you need never fear that I felt alone or abandoned. I loved you as a child would love their father, Sam. I did not realize it at the time. I was young. A child with a child’s view of the world. What you gave me was enough for me to become the man you see before you. I only beg that you allow me to repay the favor.”

He stepped back and took a formal stance. “Long ago, we once trained together as pupils with you, my senior. Now it is time for you to see the breadth of the wonders I have borne witness to. The conflicts I have struggled to bring to a close, and the strength I have gained so that I could live up to the image of bravery and kindness you showed me.”

Sam readied himself for the inevitable attack, but Zahif didn’t move.

He was simply there.

Raising his arms to block the attack felt like he was trying to move through hardened gel. Every inch felt like it took him several seconds. Zahif’s movements were beyond anything Sam could catch. Even Raiko looked slow and clumsy compared to this old man.

Tensing, Sam braced for the hit, but was still surprised at the force behind the pulled punch. He went flying across the room. Sam twisted around, trying to line his feet up with the floor so he could immediately counterattack, but Zahif had other plans.

Faster than Sam could track, the old man was already behind him. Waiting.

The rest of the day followed in much the same form. Sam struggled to even perceive his newfound master. His every jab and cross felt like he was trying to catch smoke while Zahif weaved around each strike with all the effort of a child at play.

Sam struggled back to his feet after hours of punishment. He wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. “You know, you don’t have to enjoy it so much.”

“On the contrary,” Zahif said, still beaming from ear to ear, “Life is too short not to find joy in every little thing! It has become a favorite pastime of mine.” The old man looked like he was ready to go to the Imperial Palace. He wasn’t even breaking a sweat! “However, I must say, you are far sturdier than I would have expected from a Tin.”

“Mahalo,” Sam said through gritted teeth. He was pretty sure that the last jab to his ribs broke one or two. And that was with Zahif pulling his punches. “But I didn’t come here to lay on the floor. Come on.”

Zahif shook his head. “I believe I have your measure. Tomorrow, the true pain begins.”

Sam didn’t like the sound of that.