The First Cultivator

"Good job all!" Azura said as the kin around her collapsed. Many had started to flag as their limited mana became exhausted. They quickly join their mana in that state. It was closer to four and a half hours to reach their destination. Still pretty good.

"Now for your next job…" Azura said, then held her arms up defensively at all the glares she received.

"A jest, I assure you," Azura said quickly. "You all need to recover your mana. The best way to do that is…" She paused, letting the suspense build, giving them an evil grin. Hopeless stares implored her to have mercy.

"To eat and rest!" Azura said brightly.

"You… are… so… grounded…" Coralline panted as she lay motionless on the ground.

"Fatania, do you think we'll be okay at this spot for a day?" Azura asked as she knelt down, poking her mother, who couldn't even swat her away.

"Should be," Fatania said with a gasping cough.

"Good," Azura said. "Get a cooking fire going and set up guards after you recover. I'll take a quick trip into the mana forest to get some dinner. The magical meat will speed mana recovery. I won't go far. Yell if you run into trouble." She stopped tormenting her mother and stood up.

"Fine…" Fatania said as she tried to get to her paws. It took two tries.

"I'm off. See ya!" Azura said and dashed into the woods.

"Evil… child…" Coralline moaned.

Azura's false cheer disappeared when she was away from the others. She wished she could just lay in bed for a week or two and grieve. The situation wouldn't let her. No matter what she felt, everyone depended on her. The ache in her heart would have to stay private. The pain from Toren's loss wouldn't go away in a day, week, or even a month, but she knew it would gradually lessen. At least she would stay busy. She almost felt like her old self if she didn't think about it too much.

Azura vigorously wiped at her eyes as the tears began to form. No. She couldn't think about him now. She had others to look after. They needed her to be strong. So, she would be. Her ki did little to help with the weight of this burden.

A growl in the mana forest drew her attention, and Azura gave a nasty grin. At least there were mana beasts on which she could express her pain. Azura moved, and the growl became a surprised welp of pain, then silence as an apex predator found its next victim.

***

Elise didn't like this. She understood why she had to do it, but she hated it. Before… before she had known about her sister, she wouldn't have cared. What did that say about her? A bump in the road caused her to bounce in her seat as the carriage hit it.

"Bumpy trip," Her father said distantly. He'd been depressed since his argument with his father. He'd also started drinking again. Possibly more now than when he thought his other daughter was dead. The Azure Magebane… The tales were already spreading from a warlock bond with dark gods to a practitioner of sex magic. It seemed to her that men preferred that last one more. It was all guesses. What wasn't was the deaths. Her sister had killed mages. Not just one or two but dozens. How did she become so strong when her mana pool wasn't big enough for a single spell? It made no sense.

"We're here my lord," the kin driver said. He sounded nervous. Elise couldn't blame him. Bellos had severed her family since she could remember. He was a half-deer kin with neatly trimmed antlers and a small tail. Like all other half-kin, the rest of him looked human except for his feet, which were hooves. His hair was a deep, earthy brown, and he had a slim, athletic build. He'd often snuck her sweets when her mother forbade them.

Elise looked at him. Really looked at him for the first time, although they had known each other all her life. Her mother told her that nulls barely qualified as people. How could someone really think and be without magic? She had believed her… now it felt different. Her own sister was a kin. She didn't know what to think. What had been black and white became a messy shade of gray. For the first time, she saw what her father did. She saw a scared person.

All kin servants were to be slaves to the homes that employed them. They were required to be registered with any family members. Their household had nearly twenty kin working for them, closer to thirty, including the families. Elise turned to look as the rest of their servants who walked behind their carriage. They were all terrified. She didn't want to be here, but her grandfather insisted that she start learning the business. That meant she would spend significant time with her father managing their holding. Managing their new slaves. Gods above, she didn't want to think about the kin on their lands maintaining farms. They would have to repeat this again and again.

They exited the carriage and approached the rune crafters. There, a family of four had been branding runes into kin all day. They looked exhausted. To the right, the branded kin slaves were being divided up. The elves were taking some along with some mages she didn't recognize.

"Who are they father?" Elise asked as they approached the rune crafters.

"They are from Dageth Magical Combat Academy. They'll be opening a branch here soon. We should make introductions and get you registered. It would be a good experience for you. The elves are from the south. They don't have formal nations like we do. They establish grooves in old mana forests."

"Will they make a grove here?" Elise asked.

"No. The elves would claim the entire mana forest if we let them. We need it for the resources. They will be permitted limited entry."

"Where will they live then? Where will the mages from Dageth live?"

Loric hesitated. "The council gave each of them the kin part of the city to live in."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"What about the kin?" Elise asked. The kin following them stiffen.

"They're slaves now, Elise. It will depend on who owns them…" Loric said.

"THE AZURE MAGEBANE SHALL NOT FORGIVE THE MAGES FOR THEIR TRECHERY!" A recently branded kin yelled with all his might as the paralyze spell was removed.

"WE WILL RESIST! WE SHALL NOT BE …" The kin was cut off as he was paralyzed again by the nearest mage. Elise's hands went to her mouth as a nearby mage used a pain spell on the kin over and over.

Loric turned away, leading them toward the rune crafters, who didn't even react to the scene. No doubt it wasn't the first time today.

"Loric Coldwell here to register my… slaves," Loric said to the crimson-haired woman. Elise didn't recognize her, but they were around the same age. She wondered if they would both go to Dageth together.

The bleary-eyed woman turned to face him. She looked like she hadn't slept in a month.

"Will they be any trouble?" The young woman asked tiredly as she approached a central desk to retrieve parchment on a clipboard.

"No, they'll cooperate," Loric said.

"Good. I won't mind that for a change." She handed the clipboard to Loric. "Please write down the owner at the top and the name of each slave underneath it. There is a quill and ink on the table over there."

"Thank you," Loric said, handing the clipboard over to Elise. Her grandfather insisted that she be put in charge of the slaves. She wasn't sure why, other than he did it to slight her father.

Elise went to the desk and began writing as the branding began. She quickly looked away after the first one. The rune crafter did numb the area, but it still looked horrible.

Once she completed the list, a young Dageth mage approached her.

"Greetings miss…" The man looked at the clipboard. "Elise Coldwell. I'm Grand Mage Garrick Fenderson of Dageth. It's nice to meet you."

"Charmed Grand Mage. It is impressive that you achieved the title of Grand Mage so young," Elise said, blushing slightly. He was cute in a rough sort of way.

The title of Grand Mage was reserved for those who've mastered at least five master-level spells. They're considered an expert in that school of magic.

"What is your mastery in?" Elise asked.

"I'm an Aeromaster," Garrick said, sticking out his chest. "I'll be teaching classes at Dageth when the branch opens in two months."

"That's amazing!" Elise said. "What will you do until then?

"I'm on detached duty for now. Many of my colleagues are visiting Fortunia to assist with the mist problem. I'm needed here. No doubt, my superior will assign tasks to me. That's all they're good for." He winked at her. She giggled.

The kin slaves lined up next to her, and Garrick gave them a dismissive look. "You need to finish the slave rune binding."

"Oh," Elise said. "I'm not sure how."

"I can show you," Garrick said, then barked. "Slaves, turn around and present your mark to your master!"

Elise jumped at the command, and so did the kin. Garrick grimaced. "Sorry about that, but you have to be firm with kin. Otherwise, they'll walk all over you."

"Sure…" Elise said. Her opinion of the man dropped significantly.

Garrick went to the nearest kin.

"Here," Garrick pointed.

"You need to infuse your mana on this part of the rune. That will bind it to you. No one else can claim it once it's bound to you unless you undo the binding."

"Alright," Elise said, letting her mana trickle into the rune. "The rune shone with a golden glow briefly before going dim."

"Well done, Elise," Garrick said, giving her that smile again. She returned it hesitantly.

"With this rune, you can track your slaves even if they escape and punish them no matter the distance."

"Punish them?" Elise asked, a sick feeling starting in her stomach.

"Yes. It's necessary to keep the nulls in line. It will cause pain throughout their body. No lasting damage will be done so they can keep working afterward."

"Oh…" Elise said. She definitely felt sick now.

Garrick looked over her head and sighed. "I'm sorry, my lady, I have more work to do. You are required to bind each of your slaves before leaving the plaza. A mage at the gate will verify the activation before you leave."

"Thank you…" Elise said.

"I should thank you, Elise. Your beautiful presence was a ray of sunshine in the sea of ugliness I must tread through." He turned and walked away. She was sure he was referring to the kin themselves rather than the act of slavery he was participating in. It might be best if she just accepted this as her new reality. It wasn't like anyone could stop it…

***

Dinner had been tasty! Azura had found something that resembled a land squid. The tentacles had been chewy and juicy. They even wiggled slightly after it was cooked. Everyone was in much better spirits after they ate as well. Between power naps and the food, everyone's mana was fully recovered.

"Time for more cultivation!" Azura cheered.

This was met with excited whispers.

"In the mana forest," Azura added with a dark inflection.

Less excitement for this declaration. The mana forest was a fearful legend to the kin.

"Are you sure we'll be okay?" Tabatha asked, wringing her hands. Azura patted her on the head.

"You'll be fine," Azura said. "Better than fine. When you cultivate in the mana forest, the extra space in your pool will be filled with better-quality mana. When you mix the mana after cultivation, you won't lose as much. Cultivating here will be great for you. I'll patrol farther in the forest and the surrounding area. You all are to cultivate until I return. After that, it's off to bed. No staying up late this time." She directed these words at Hamal and Gerald.

"Tomorrow, we'll find our new home. I'll need you all to have inverted pools when we enter. We'll be venturing deeper than I ever have. Toward the center."

More mutterings as Azura headed into the forest.

***

"Mother, what do you know about mana forests?" Hamal asked, taking a small break from cultivation.

"What? You didn't even research it during all this time?" Fatania asked.

"No. I couldn't go in there back then. I didn't think it would be useful."

"Ah, idiot son of mine," Fatania said, patting him fondly. "I told you one of the key traits for a good assassin is knowing all of your target's habits."

"This is a place…" Hamal gestured around him.

"You were helping to hunt here. Even if indirectly," Fatania countered. "Never underestimate your target."

"Fine," Hamal said. He knew that his mother wouldn't answer his question until he agreed.

"I assume you know the basics. What many people do not know is that 'mana forests' are a relative term. It doesn't have to be a forest. It usually is, but not always. A mana forest is caused when a leyline is near the surface. Mana leaks into the surrounding area, raising the local mana density and attracting beasts. Most who are drawn to the mana forest die. Those who survive become mana beasts, and this includes plant life as well. The magic runs rampant through their bodies, changing them. They adapt to the high mana levels, and their offspring benefit from this change."

"If the leyline loses that much mana, will it run out?" Hamal asked.

"No. A well-educated mage could answer better, but I believe mana acts like rain. It will eventually be reabsorbed by the earth beneath us, returning to the cycle. What you should be concerned with is the center."

"Why," Coralline asked, taking a break and joining them.

"Mana beasts compete for the mana," Fatania said. "The strongest beasts stay closer to the center to absorb the maximum amount of mana."

"Sounds dangerous," Coralline said worriedly.

"Azura will be fine," Hamal said confidently.

"I'm more worried about us," Fatania said. "The closer we are to the center, the better our cultivation will be, but the more dangerous the wildlife. We'll have to find a place near the center, but not so much that we must worry about constant attacks."

"Thanks, Mom," Hamal said, stretching. "I'm going to finish up some more cultivation before bed."

"We all should," Fatania agreed. Coralline groaned.

A few hours later, Azura returned, and they left the forest. Everyone called it a night soon after, with three kin on watch duty at any given time. The night passed without incident. In the morning, the kin entered their new home.