The shower, compared to the rest of the cabin, was left to be desired. It consisted of a makeshift bucket hanging above an empty spot with a chain attached to pull and pour water. The water was then filled back up by a reservoir contained in another compartment of the cabin.
Thankfully, he was able to control the amount of water that poured into the giant bucket, other wise he wouldn’t have had the strength to pull the water over him. Jack could barely handle the shower with how cold the water was, but it did the job to clean him of the dried blood and muck he’d gathered.
Regardless of how unpleasant the shower was, he felt refreshed, making it kind of worth it. Jack copied Liam in covering himself with fur and strapping the fur with leather so it wouldn’t fall off of him. They would need to figure out clothes soon. Jack was sure it didn’t matter that they both currently looked like primitive humans with how the fur wrapped around them, but it would be nice to feel like a normal human being.
He went over to the meat drying rack and grabbed a few meat sticks. Real food in what felt like a very long time. The salty and slight sweetness filled his mouth, and Jack would have moaned at the taste, but the news of his clan dampened anything he felt. Liam waited by a fire that Jack wasn’t too sure was there before he showered.
Jack joined Liam in embracing the heat that washed away his experience of the ice-cold shower.
“So. What happened and who exactly are you?”
“My name is Liam Mare, and I am part of the Tranquil Lotus clan.”
Jack swallowed his jerky. “I never heard of them.”
“I’m not surprised. They are a subsidiary clan of the Blooming Lotus clan.”
Jack nodded slowly. “Right. Right. I heard my father talk about them a lot. They were the third largest clan in the human realm, responsible for maintaining and finding trade routes through the realms - correct?”
Liam nodded. “That and more. Though my clan handled simple deliveries to the Flygon palace. We were never tasked with anything beyond that.”
“But I never saw you deliver anything, Liam. I have seen many deliveries come by and I’d like to think I’d have noticed you.”
“Of course, but I have never made a delivery before yesterday. That is where the story starts.” Jack didn’t cut in this time, allowing Liam to continue.
“I was on my way with my mentors to deliver scrolls to the palace when the rebellion happened. Explosions simultaneously broke out, and the Misty Flames clan members started battling the Dragon Fly Guards. They were quickly overwhelmed.”
Jack was speechless. The Dragon Fly Guards were the elites of the Wind Flygon clan, made to kill with quick precision. For them to be overwhelmed was impossible. Or so Jack thought.
“I was knocked back from the palace quite a far way and was dazed until your brother Grant ran to me with desperation clear on his face. He told me to take you and run as he held off the Misty Flame clan members from entering the green portal he opened. From there, I woke up in Toflann’s cabin and formulated a quick lie to tell anyone we come across. Though we would need to work on it more together.”
There were many things that confused Jack about Liam’s story. Why would Grant trust a stranger to look after Jack, and why wouldn’t Grant just go through the portal himself? Jack couldn’t help but feel Liam’s story was off somehow.
“Your story doesn’t match up to what I know about my brother. He doesn’t get desperate, and he wouldn’t put my life in the hands of another seedling. Also, why didn’t he just jump through the portal after me?”
But also, why would Grant have a portal to the Animal realm? Those should be forbidden. Jack figured Liam wouldn’t know the answer to that question.
Liam shrugged. “I have no clue why anything happened. But I can tell you three things I am positive of. Your brother definitely had the face of a desperate man. There was a mob of Misty Flame clan members chasing you two, who would have just jumped into the portal had he not defended it while it closed. And I am at the peak of a Forged soul.”
Jack’s eyes nearly bulged out of his face. That would explain how he was able to push open the door to Toflann’s cabin. To think he called Liam his little brother. The fact that bothered him most of all was the claim of desperation his brother showed. He was one of the strongest rising members in the clan. Nothing really scared him or worried him. Jack wanted to rip his hair out. His life had fallen apart, and he wasn’t even conscious for any of it. Though it’s very possible it hadn’t fallen apart. His father was the strongest human in the human realm. There’s no way that he didn’t squash all of those traitors under his thumb. He just needed to get out of this prison and back into the human realm to find out the aftermath.
“We need out of this prison,” Jack said.
“That is impossible, especially with how weak the two of you are.” Toflann’s voice rumbled as the giant minotaur stepped from the forest and into view as he dragged two giant boars. Jack nearly jumped out of his skin from his sudden appearance. Liam simply turned around unbothered.
“How much of that did you hear!” Jack demanded.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Enough to know you two aren’t brothers.”
Jack’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly. There had to be a way to salvage the lie to hide the truth, otherwise the Annoid would take advantage.
“Calm child. I have no interest in human affairs. There is a reason I am here and not in the Realms causing the havoc you think I would wreak.” Toflann threw one of the boars on the table and began skinning it for its fur. “Though I would love to hear how you plan to escape this place,”
Liam spoke up. “Well, the first step would be to become stronger.” He turned to Jack. “I have no clue how the son of Gerald is still a seedling, but you need to train.”
Jack frowned. “It is no fault of mine! My tutors were sub-par. They didn’t do their jobs right, and so my progress has been slow.”
Toflann slapped the fur of the boar on the table with a loud clap before he turned to Jack. Jack flinched under his gaze.
“I’m sure you have no one else but yourself to blame. You’re a very distasteful human. You should take more after your brother and learn both respect and humility.”
“I know respect! I’ll have you know my clan respected me plenty! And I am quite the humorous person.” Confusion crossed both Liam and Toflann’s faces.
“Humility,” Liam said dryly.
Jack turned to Liam and crossed his arms. “Right. I heard him.”
Liam held a finger up to speak, but stopped when he saw Toflann shake his head either in disappointment or some other emotion he couldn’t quite tell.
“Anyways. Liam is right. We need to get stronger and travel through the layers in order to escape this prison.”
Toflann was done skinning the hogs and was now chopping them up in different proportions.
“And how do you plan on doing that in a prison meant to cripple even Sages?” Jack nearly toppled over where he sat.
Sages were the pinnacle of soul cultivation. His father was a Sage. The strongest human to exist, and even this prison would give him difficulties? Liam seemed to have dropped his mask he wore when obvious shock was plastered all over his face.
“How does a place like Nablar cripple near gods?” Liam asked.
Toflann spat at the mention of gods. “Sages are far from gods. But this prison suppresses a soul’s cultivation to Forged. The stronger the soul is before it enters, the more restrictions are held in place. More so, no soul can cultivate here.”
Jack let out a mixture of a laugh and a scoff. “That’s ridiculous. Everyone knows that anyone can cultivate by killing beasts or through long hours of meditation! That is just the way of life.”
Toflann was long done cutting the hog into pieces and started cooking some while drying others, not sparing a glance in the children’s direction.
“No beast here gives Virya to harness, and no meditation allows for the advancement of the soul. I would have no doubt that a Sage would be able to break the chains of this prison if the restrictions were not in place. But no Sage can enter without being reduced to a mere fraction of themselves, and no Forged soul could advance so easily."
“Then that leaves the question of how we could possibly get stronger.” Liam mused.
“If the Annoid is correct, then it would be impossible,” Jack answered.
Toflann twitched at Jack’s answer, most likely from being called an Annoid. Silence took hold of the children as they muddled through their thoughts until Toflann turned around with cooked pork in his hand. He threw a giant leg towards Liam and proceeded to sit across from the children. Liam distributed the food between him and Jack.
“There might be a chance. It is a rumor and one that no one has been able to put to the test due to the impossibility that it might have happened.”
Liam arched an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”
Toflann looked to Jack disdainfully. “It’s been rumored that Seedlings do not have cultivation restrictions, but no Seedling has either landed here or survived long enough for that theory to test out.”
Liam nearly fumbled out of his seat and turned his gaze on Toflann. “So you’re saying Jack has potential to cultivate and reach Awaken?”
“It’s quite possible.”
Toflann and Liam broke out into a discussion of how far and fast Jack could reach, but a lot of it was lost on him. Jack rarely paid attention to his lessons with his tutor except when he needed to practice his control over wind virya.
How far up was Awaken in the Cycles of cultivation? He knew Sage was the last step because his father, but other than Seed and Forged, he had no clue what other steps in the Cycle included. In fact, if he were to be completely honest with himself, he does not know much about Virya cultivation other than how to control his wind. Details on the matter escaped him.
If the honesty with him went a little deeper, he would admit that he avoided classes due to most of it being about learning boring basics and understanding of soul cultivation rather than actually cultivating. Jack would admit nothing, though. Jack was then sucked back into the conversation between Toflann and Liam.
“Would you be willing to train Jack then?” Liam asked.
Toflann looked as if he wanted to hold back a laugh. “That insufferable brat? Realms above and below, no!”
Jack frowned. “I’m right here, you know.”
Both of them ignored him. “Even if he was your only chance out of this prison?” Liam countered.
Toflann waved the question away. “You mistake my intentions if you thought I wanted out of here.”
Liam gazed into Toflann, piercing him with his blue eyes. “Then what are your intentions after bandaging my wounds, finding Jack, killing another Annoid, leading us to your cabin of safety, and going out of your way to find food enough for all three of us?”
Toflann returned Liam’s gaze as silence once again filled the air. Then Toflann’s shoulder sagged and he leaned back in his giant wooden chair with amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Call it curiosity. Fine, I will attempt to teach him, but you must teach him about Annoids and respect. Other wise I would have no qualms about sending you two off while I return to my solitude.”
Liam smiled. “He will be well-versed in your ways and show you the respect you deserve.”
Jack waved his arms in the air and yelled, “I’m still right here!” but still no one paid him any mind.
