The First Cultivator

It had been almost two weeks since Azura had achieved the liquid ki phase of her cultivator's training. She spent the majority of that time in the mana forest. The dense mana there slowly increased her supply of ki. She had also significantly improved her techniques. Now, she could walk easily while projecting her ki with every step. The improvement in her body also became more apparent. She didn't need as much sleep. Nor did she have to use the bathroom at all since her purge. Azura was worried after the second day, but her body appeared to convert everything into ki. Despite this and acting as a mana sponge, the amount of ki she generated daily was minuscule. She really needed to find a better way.

While her training was proceeding smoothly, other issues began to come up. Hamal's warning that the mages were up to something had become apparent. It was nothing overt, but the little oddities were adding up. Everyone knew something was coming. Another round of high taxes was Azura's guess. Relations between the two races were tense. It hadn't been this bad since the food prices had changed. Many kin were considering leaving.

"What do you think's going on?" Toren asked. They were sitting on the rooftops in the slums. Azura had finished training for the day when Toren suggested this little outing. He'd been doing that more and more lately. It was nice. It brought back memories of simpler times. They were above the librarian's house where she had accidentally pelted Grassfoot, the old crow-kin. She considered doing it again.

"No clue," Azura admitted. "Not like the mages talk to me."

Toren sat down, his feet dangling over the side. Azura joined him as the pair looked over the city. The past few years had not been kind. It looked like a strong wind could render half the kin homeless.

"What are your plans?" Toren asked.

"Dinner, then bed," Azura replied.

"No. You know what I meant. What do you want to do with your life?"

"I… I don't know," Azura admitted. "I have my training. Besides that, I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Have you… Thought about having a family?"

"Not really. You?" Azura asked.

"I guess. I haven't thought about it much either. Never really had a dad. But, I think I would like to try someday."

"Oh? Any girl in mind."

Toren gulped as he turned to face her. "I got one I've been looking at…"

Azura felt herself getting rather hot. Was he…

"W, what's she like?" Azura said, her words coming out in a rush.

"Well, she's a bit annoying. Has the table manners of a pig. And she's rather violent." Before Azura could demonstrate the violence, he went on. "She's also kind. She sacrifices personal wealth for the sake of the kin in the city. She works hard and is fun to be with." Azura flushed as Toren kept going, his face drawing closer to hers.

"She's as much troublesome as she is pretty, which is a lot. In short, she's my best friend." With that said, Toren pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was a bit sloppy. Neither of them had experience. Yet it lingered. Toren couldn't believe he had finally had the balls to say what he'd felt. He half expected Azura to toss him off the building.

Azura wasn't sure what to think either. But she had always liked Toren. Perhaps something more would be just as grand.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

A minute later, the two separated, their cheeks flushed. Without speaking, their fingers intertwined as they watched the sunset.

***

Veltras and his two apprentices waited on the rooftop a short distance from the target's home. Their instructions were clear. Make the incident appear to have been committed by nulls, which meant no magic. His apprentices conducted a brief investigation on the targets. This was crucial training for any good assassin. He let them decide on the strategy to meet their customers' requirements. They concluded that a break-in was the best approach when both were home and asleep. Taking two targets at once was always riskier, but it should be easy, as they were just kin. This also avoided any suspicion if both died around the same time at different places. Veltras had agreed.

He turned to his apprentices, who were inside a dome of silence and an illusionary wall that hid them from view. This would be perfect training for both of them.

"Tell me about our targets," Veltras commanded. It was best to review what information they had gathered. He wasn't too worried. If they had missed anything, it didn't matter that much. The targets were nulls, after all.

"Target one is an adult cat-kin female named Coralline. She works primarily as a washerwoman and is active in the community. She is often at home or in the company of other local kin. Threat assessment is low." The first assassin said, her voice like wind on silk. She was garbed all in black, with only her eyes visible. Veltras nodded.

"The other target is named Azura. She is a blue-haired half-catkin, daughter of target one and the noble Loric. She is young but is on the threshold of adulthood. She spends most of her time away from home. Threat assessment… unknown." The second assassin replied, his eyes downcast. Veltras waited. When nothing more came, he became angry.

"Your job was to know your target. Just because they're kin doesn't mean you can slack off."

"I'm sorry, Master," the man said. "I tried to follow her on two separate occasions."

"And," Veltras prompted.

"She visited the rat-kin. Then, only returned late in the day."

Veltras anger faded. Rat-kin. He didn't like kin. No mage did. But he had to respect the rat-kin. They were doing the same sort of work he did. Killers, smugglers, and all-around pests. Yet they had their own kind of honor. They only targeted mages, never kin. The apprentice was correct in his assessment.

"Very well. Your choice was correct. It wasn't worth the risk of gathering information on a kin. Next time, I want a thorough report on the target habits. If this were a mage target, it would be dangerous. How will you execute the deeds?"

The pair brought out clawed gauntlets and slipped them over both hands. Veltras nodded in agreement. They could slash the pair up to add to the illusion that the killers were kin.

"Are they home now?" Veltras asked.

"Yes," they said in unison. "The girl came back recently."

"Good. You are to act tonight. I'll keep a lookout and prevent any interference. Do it quickly and quietly. Understood?"

"Yes, master," the pair said.

The three assassins stood at their hideout, waiting for the sun to set.

***

"You seem extra cheerful today," Coralline said critically.

"Hmmm," Azura said, not stuffing her face for once. Her mind lingered on Toren. It had been unexpected but pleasant, exceptionally so if she was honest with herself.

Her mother leaned forward, expecting some ailment to be discovered if she could only look closer. Azura looked into her mother's face and blushed.

"Gods below, he finally did it, didn't he?"

"Huh?" Azura asked stupidly.

"Toren!" Coralline said happily. "He told you how he felt. So, how did it go?"

"Mom!"

"What? A mother needs to know these things. Did he kiss you? Do you need pointers?"

Azura's blush deepened.

"Wow! He did? I didn't think he would be so bold. Did he use his tongue?"

"I'm going to be sick…" Azura muttered.

"Were you that bad?"

"Mom!"

"You didn't accidentally bite him, did you? Or burp in his mouth? That's a risk since you eat so much." Coralline inquired, her tone mimicking that of a dedicated educator drilling a slow student.

"N, no!" Azura squeaked, covering her face.

"That's great!" Coralline said, somehow, her tone growing sweet enough to kill a hummingbird. "Perhaps you can make a fake mouth with your hand to get some practice. You don't want to embarrass yourself a second time." She wrapped her fingers around her thumb and simulated a fake mouth for a demonstration. Moving the fake mouth to the actual one, she mimed kissing it, tongue included.

"I'm going to bed!" Azura shouted and stormed off to her room.

"Make sure to practice!" Coralline shouted after her.

Azura slammed the door shut and tuned out her mother's laughter. Yet even as she buried her head into her pillow, she couldn't help but remember that kiss…