Sparring Session

Sun beamed down on the training field, a light breeze swaying the grass, distant noises of people going about there own business traveled through the plain. Two children stood opposing one another, one an 11-year-old boy, the other a 16-year-old girl; Xing, and Lei.

"Are you finally ready to get your ass kicked after an entire year of screwing around?" Eagerly said, Lei.

"I should be asking you whether you are ready to get your ass kicked like all those years ago!" Xing said as he started stretching, "I've used this past year to get used to my new abilities and we are now on the same playing field, so prepare to lose."

"Hah, I'll never lose to you ever again! Your not the only one who can improve! There are no shadows on this field Blackstar! Now, let's begin!"

Lei charged toward Xing as fast as an eagle swooping down at its prey.

Xing had started gathering Mana in front of him and willed it to form the Spell-Model for Magic Missile. The moment it formed he fired the missile straight at the girl, following up with himself charging behind the spell toward Lei.

The Magic Missile reached Lei quickly, causing her to give up on charging just to stop the attack. She covered her fist in Mana and punched the projectile causing a loud pop to ring out as they collided.

Although the missile did no damage to Lei, it did do what Xing intended; to halt her momentum and allow him to get close.

Xing covered his own fist in Mana and jabbed it toward Lei's stomach. To which she agilely dodged, and mirrored him by responding with her own jab toward Xing's chest.

'Damn, she's gotten even faster since the last time we spared. Air gives Warriors lighter bodies, equaling speed but at the cost of strength so if I can easily block her strikes.'

Xing moved and crossed his arms in front of his chest to block the incoming blow, then he would respond with his Flash spell and blind her, at least that's how it should have gone.

Sounds of flesh hitting flesh at a ridiculous strength echoed across the field, as Xing was flung back from the blow.

As Xing regained his footing meters away from where he stood previous, he looked baffled, "What was that? Since when do you have strength like that?"

"Teehee." Lei stuck her tongue out and continued, "Sometimes I explode with a sudden strength, however, I have no control over when. I believe it is due to another Element, Earth maybe? But who cares we're in the middle of a fight, let us continue!"

The two brawled back and forth for another minute, Xing careful to dodge from now on as there was no telling when Lei would explode with strength.

'It's time!' Xing thought as he willed his 1st-Circle to spring its stored spell.

During their brawl Xing had made sure the sun was behind him making Lei's shadow stay behind her, now he was prepared. The Flash spell went off behind her, causing a second shadow to appear in front of her for a split second. Xing used this shadow, which had reached beneath him, to disappear; reappearing in the shadow behind her.

"I win," Xing stated plainly as he reached out to put his right-hand on her right shoulder.

"Get your hands off her boy!" A voice shouted out toward the two followed by a trailing ball of fire speeding toward Xing.

Xing was able to dodge the fireball but the front of his clothing was singed.

A pompous boy who looked no older than 16 walked over toward the pair. He was wearing a Shaman robe that looked even better than those worn by others, weaved with precision, decorated with gaudy accessories. The boy had an average body build which looked fitting for one of the lazy Shaman, a swaggering walking posture used to looking down on others with his arrogant beady eyes.

"That's right you keep away! Know your place, like the nobody that you are! Lei darling I just saved you, what are you going to reward me with? How about you just hurry and accept my love and come back to my place?" An arrogant voice came out of the boy.

Xing did not know who he was, but Lei's facial expression turned ugly spitting, "Bah, who needed saving? We were sparing, you jerk! And you can forget about me ever accepting you! Stop pestering me you lustful bastard!"

"Hohoho, you will accept me one day my little Lei. During the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony, I'll come find you and we can have some alone time together." Before he walked away he turned to Xing, "And you, nobody, if I see you around my darling Lei again I'll burn you till nothing remains."

Lei was audibly grinding her teeth by the time he started swaggering away, "Good riddance you bastard!"

When he was finally out of sight Xing turned to look at Lei who was red with rage, "Who was that exactly?"

Lei looked at Xing as if he were an idiot, "You're just as bad as him, not knowing who you are- the Tribe-Chiefs son, even calling you a nobody!" Lei now looked even more exasperated, "He is called Liang and is the son of Great-Shaman Peng, jeez both your fathers hate each other and yet the two of you don't even recognize the other, I'm speechless."

"Well, I have only been putting all my effort into training and getting stronger it's understandable that I've neglected knowledge in other areas, but you are right I should know these things if I'm to help my mother and father with the tribe. By the way, he said something about the coming-of-age ceremony what is that?"

"Ugh, you really need to learn more about the tribe! The coming-of-age ceremony happens every year for every 16-year-old in the tribe. You are only truly an adult after you pass the trial, fail and you will forever remain at the bottom of the totem pole in the tribe until you pass a separate trial for those over the age of 16 who failed, and even then you will still be seen as a failure for the rest of your life," explained Lei.

"In the ceremony, you are sent into the forest at different points and you will remain inside for one week if you return before a week has passed you fail. During that week you are supposed to hunt monsters and retrieve their monster-cores, you need to bring back at least 5 after a week or you'll fail. There is a prize for the top 3 who bring back the most and the best cores, which are normally varying qualities of leather armor, on-top-of mana-crystals, but mostly it's for bragging rights between families. As such there is normally a lot of fighting between participants, sometimes even more than between man and beast."

"He sounded quite sinister when he mentioned that he would see you during the ceremony, and your telling me fighting between participants happens. So are you able to defeat him?" asked Xing

Lei thought about it for a moment before responding, "No I can't, I'm fairly certain he is a 2nd-Circle Shaman, one juiced up on mana-crystals, but still a 2nd-Circle Shaman is not something I can beat."

"Oh, how do you even know something like that? I doubt that something like that would be public knowledge."

Lei poked her tongue out of her mouth, "Secret."

"Is there any precedent for anyone under the age of 16 to participate in the ceremony?" Xing asked expectantly.

Noticing the expectation in his voice she replied, "There are normally plenty of 14 and 15-year-old kids who come from the poorer families who want to become adults to help provide for their parents, siblings, future wife and children. Some genius kids even below those ages show up sometimes to show-off. I know what you are thinking and I think you're a little too young, I doubt there has ever been an 11-year-old participant."

"Then I will be the first! How long is there until the ceremony?"

"It starts in a week and lasts a week. You'll be inside that forest for a week and if you come out before then you forfeit."

"Alright then, I'm going to go beg my mother and father to allow me to participate, and then I need to prepare!" Xing sped off toward his home.

***

On his journey home he pondered, 'Lei is correct as always, I really need to learn more about not only the Xia Tribe but the surrounded area and its tribes, geography, and especially the Centaurs.'

It didn't take long for him to reach the foot of the plateau where the tent of the chief overlooked the tribe, he was about to start the climb to the top when a female voice called out to him.

"Xing, what's the big rush for?" Xing turned to the voice and realized he had run straight past his mother without even noticing her.

Clicking his tongue at his blunder, "Mother I'm sorry I didn't see you there. I was in a rush because I just found out from Lei about the coming-of-age ceremony and I wanted to participate."

"Why are you worrying about that for? You're only 11, you still have 5 years before you need to participate. I know your way ahead of those your own age but still, there is no need, but I won't deny you because of that instead I support you. I know what it's like having no opponent your own age, having to mix amongst those older than you. I know that it's difficult to get stronger without challenge so the Warrior within me is proud of you, yet the mother within me is worried. You will need to persuade your father, however. He will not like you participating when you are so young, all the other kids will target you simply because of who you are, and his own troubles will follow you inside that jungle; which means that some may even try to kill you."

"I know mother, thanks for supporting me. Wish me luck at persuading father!" yelled Xing as he started running up the slope.

***

"You want to what?" Zheng looked at his son dumbfounded as if it were the last thing he expected to come out of his mouth.

"I want to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony alongside Lei because I'm worried about her being targeted by the son of Great-Shaman Peng. Mother has already agreed." Explained Xing, he told his father straight the reason why he wanted to participate and even throwing in a low-blow.

Zheng paced back and forth for an entire minute before opening his mouth, "Fine, you can participate but you need to realize that everyone will be aiming at you trying to pull you off your pedestal, and it isn't only because your the son of the Tribe-Chief and Great-Warrior, but also because you are only 11. People would think that you're arrogant, looking down on everyone else. The only reason why I'll allow you is due to your ability to hide in the shadows, and I know that you hate sneaking around, but you will promise me that you will use every advantage you have during the ceremony and that you will retreat and hide in the shadows if things get dangerous. Can you do that?"

Xing looked happy and excited, "I promise! Thanks, father!"

"Now go and prepare, the ceremony starts in only a week and everyone else has had months of preparation."