The First Cultivator

Azura never realized what it took to make a community. She was under the misguided opinion that food, water, and shelter were all that was needed. Those were the essential basics. But to grow. To do more than just survive. A community, even a small one, needed more. So much more. Azura was glad Fatania and her mother had taken charge. She couldn't handle any of this, as demonstrated by Azura asking for clarification.

"We need what?"

"Some magic tools," Fatania explained.

"Why?"

"The trees, the ground, even the rocks are all infused with mana," Coralline explained. "Our non-magical tools are breaking.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. So… can we buy some?"

"Such items aren't for sale. Even if they were, it would bring up too many questions." Fatania said, shaking her head. "We need to take them and do it in such a way as to hide our objective."

"Huh?" Azura asked.

"We've got to take the tools without looking like that's what we want," Alenina said as her many children ran around her, except for Tabatha, who was standing next to Azura. She was taking the whole master thing a bit too far, in Azura's opinion. Then again, having someone who seemed to worship her was nice…

"We'll also need more clothing," Coralline added. "We have enough to clothe everyone, but it's getting colder. Another month or two, and we'll be in trouble."

"Okay. I get it. We need stuff," Azura said, waving her hand in surrender. "What's the plan?"

"There are several harvesting camps near the mana forest. These camps harvest lumber and other supplies from the outer edges. They also have heavy-duty equipment for deep expeditions. Or they should. The rat-kin are investigating each location. If one has what we need, we'll raid it and free any kin slaves. The kin can't go to the forest, but are still used as manual labor outside. The goal is to loot and burn it. We will make it look like the start of your 'free the kin' campaign rather than a raid for supplies."

"I don't know…" Azura said slowly. "That seems like a strange place to start with."

"Which is why it won't be," Fatania said. "You will actually start at some farms. Free the kin and plunder everything there. Once you're done, burn it. There are several targets to hit before we do the camp."

"I can't do all that alone."

"You're not going alone. Take some of the kin with you. It'll be good practice," Fatania said.

Azura thought for a moment. "No more than four. Any more, and I won't be able to protect them if things go wrong."

"We'll need more to cart back the goods and kin," Tabatha added.

"Oh yeah…" Azura said. She would have never thought about that.

"A compromise, then," Fatania suggested. "Take your four kin to attack. After it's over, others will take care of the rest. We'll set the kin somewhere safe until you can awaken them."

"That should work," Azura said.

"We need some time to get the plan all together. These strikes must be quick and efficient. I'll give the details to Hamal. He can be one of your four," Fatania said.

"Why not me?" Azura asked.

The three mothers looked at each other. Coralline shrugged. "Because we want to make sure you don't forget."

"Mom!"

"Do you really want that responsibility?" Coralline asked, her head tilted.

"… no," Azura's ears went flat. Her response had come out in a whiny whisper.

"Then stop complaining!" Coralline said, exasperated. "Go teach some of the new kin or something."

"Alright." Azura trudged past the women, searching for the new kin. It was more complicated than she expected. Kin were everywhere. Some were digging. Others were reinforcing tunnels and making them more comfortable. More were securing supplies or setting up cooking fires. Finally, a good portion appeared to be cultivating. It was a busy camp. She was glad others were managing this. That gave her an idea…

"Tabatha. I've got a job for you."

"Yes, Master!" Tabatha said excitedly, hopping in place, her rabbit ears bouncing.

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"Gather up some of the new kin over…" Azura looked around and pointed to a relatively unused spot. "There."

Tabatha bowed. "It shall be Master!"

Hmm, at least she got some respect today.

***

Sweat trickled down Gwen's cheek as she folded her mana. The Magebane had made it sound easy. It totally wasn't. Still, she had done it. The first step was taken. Only a million more to go. She didn't let despair take over. Instead, she focused on her future, letting that push her to the next step.

"Good job, Gwen," the Magebane said, clapping her shoulder. A burst of pride filled the half badger-kin as the Magebane left to check on another student, a rabbit-kin trailing behind her. Gwen watched the Magebane instruct the other kin.

When the Magebane had awakened her mana pool, it was wondrous. The way the power surged in her. And the ki! Oh, the ki! How she wanted it. When the Magebane used Gwen's own mana to burn away the foreign mana in her slave rune, freeing her, Gwen knew that she was destined to be like the Magebane. A cultivator. She quickly got back to cultivating.

Soon, everyone had managed to fold their mana at least once. Gwen had managed three times already.

"Great!" The Magebane said. "You all have the basics down. Keep working on it daily. It will build your control and willpower, which is essential for later stages. Sign up for jobs with Fatania to help out and cultivate in your spare time. We rotate jobs often enough that there is always plenty of time for cultivation."

"THANK YOU MASTER!" The kin shouted, except for Gwen. She wasn't really comfortable calling anyone master.

The class was dismissed, and everyone went their own way. Gwen was debating about grabbing a bite to eat when she saw a rat-kin approach the Magebane. Curious, she got closer, listening in.

"We found a place to attack," the rat-kin said.

"That was quick," the Magebane said. "When do we leave?"

"Two days. Mother wants to ensure we have everything ready for an influx of kin and carts for the loot. Might as well let the mages feed them till then."

"Oh. That makes sense," the Magebane conceded. Gwen had the strong impression that planning wasn't the Magebane's strength.

"Did you pick the other three yet?"

"I was thinking of Gerald. Otherwise, I'm not sure."

"Me! Me! Me! Me!" The rabbit-kin, following the Magebane around like a lonely dog-kin, shouted. She jumped up and down furiously as if the floor was too hot to stand on. The pair looked at the girl.

"It'll be dangerous," the Magebane said.

"I can do it!" The rabbit-kin said.

"You might have to kill some mages," the rat-kin added.

Kill some mages… Gwen thought, her heart racing. Suddenly, she was back home. The mages had just broken down the door. She fought, only to be paralyzed. Powerless… The first mage loomed over her immobilized body as he shifted his robe and lowered his trousers. He grabbed his member and…

"NO!" Gwen shouted, pulling herself away from the dark memories. Several kin stopped at her outburst. The Magebane was looking at her in confusion.

"No? No, what?" The Magebane asked.

Gwen strode forward, trying to leave her thoughts behind. "No. You should take me instead. I can kill mages." She tried and failed to keep the seething hatred from her voice.

"…Okay," the Magebane said with a shrug after a moment. "If you think you can handle it."

"I guess that makes four," the rat-kin said.

"Great!" The Magebane said. "Cultivate as much as you can for the next two days. You'll want to be as powerful as possible before we attack."

"I'll let Mom know," the rat-kin said. "She is making a schedule to cultivate by the leyline. I think we could get extra time for this task. I'll let Gerald know, too."

"Thanks," the Magebane said. "Now, if you excuse me, I want to hunt." With that, the slayer of mages sped off into the forest, leaving a disappointed rabbit-kin behind.

"Aww," the rabbit-kin said. "I want to go too…"

***

The next day, Coralline and Azura were stretching in a small clearing, ready to run through the moves her mother taught her when Fatania approached with an aged tiger-kin. She briefly recalled him being among the ones purchased from Deepmere. She had met him the day before for his first cultivation lesson.

"I greet the great Azure Magebane."

"Uh, hi." It came out more as a question. "Who are you? I don't recall your name."

"Forgive this one. In my excitement, I forgot my manners. This one is called Far-shu."

"It's nice to meet you again," Azura said, glancing at Fatania. What was this about? She tried to import this question by looking at the rat-kin.

"Far-shu is an expert in kin fighting arts," Fatania explained.

"Oh," Azura said. "My mother showed me some of that."

"Really? Coralline did?" Fatania asked, giving her friend a skeptical eye.

"What!? My mother taught me some of the basic forms when I was young," Coralline said defensively.

"Please show me," Far-shu said.

So they did. The mother and daughter moved through several stances when Far-shu waved for them to stop.

"That is not any martial art form."

"What!" Mother and daughter shouted in unison.

"That is a movement taught to children who cannot sit still and learn properly. Certain kin…" Far-shu stopped. He appeared to be choosing his words carefully. "Lack the attention required to learn. Those motions are used to drain their energy and help them achieve better focus. It might aid in cultivation, but it has nothing to do with any fighting style."

Azura turned to her mother, raising her fist. "Mom!"

Coralline turned away, facing some unknown destination. "Mom!" She echoed her daughter, her own fist raised.

"I see my work will be challenging," Far-shu said sadly.

"Can you teach her?" Fatania asked, smirking. "It would be a good idea for all of us to learn."

"I will endeavor to teach the Magebane even as she teaches me about cultivation. However, I must insist on the fighting technique. I am the master. You are the student."

"Sure!" Azura agreed readily. "Unlike my mother, I have great focus."

Coralline snorted in disbelief.

"At least I am sure that Fatania has taught you the basics for fighting. The rat-kin are good assassins but have little beyond a single, viscous strike. If they failed to kill a mage in the first sneak attack, they rarely had time for another."

Fatania accepted the criticism without complaint.

"Gather twenty students. I will begin immediately. It has been a long time since I have taught. It puts my old bones at ease to see the fighting prowess return to the kin once more."

With that said, they got to work.

Azura threw herself into each motion, focusing entirely on Far-shu lessons. She was glad for the distraction. Tomorrow, she might have to kill again… The dark part of her that had awakened since Toren's death was looking forward to it.