After an uncomfortable experience with a birdman in the communal shower, I felt refreshed.
I head towards the falcon couple's house.
Passing through the cloth 'door' I am faced with a single large room.
In the middle, two short L shaped posts surround a stony firepit.
While a few workbenches with tools and incomplete carvings lie against the walls, the top portion of the wall covered with preserved animal heads.
They really are birds, huh.
Well, no shit Thomas.
Standing on the posts' are Aro and Sira, both staring intently at an entire animal roasting above the lit firepit.
Their posture remains unchanged as I sit down on the waxy floor.
Aro turns to me and cleans the feathers on the back of his head.
"You do not have a perch? Do Teranoj use perch?."
The more Aro chirps, the more questions he seems to have.
"We don't use perches, but don't worry, the floor will do just fine."
This doesn't seem like a bad moment to ask about a few things I had in mind.
"I did have a few questions about things in general, though."
The falcon couple chirps as they grab the unseasoned meat.
I imitate my avian 'friends' and tear the bloody meat with my bare hands.
Not the biggest fan of rare meat, but It will have to do
As we eat, I keep asking questions while they answer.
The entire roast quickly disappears
Wound still tingling but now full, I organize my thoughts.
It looks like this is an entirely different world than Earth.
Besides Teranoj –regular humans, there are also beings with 'cores'. Mostly sentient beasts. They are called Sovaĝa by humans but they call themselves Kernuloj, which translates to 'those with cores'.
There are multiple kingdoms and large powers, but the only one the falcons care about is the Kudrus Empire, a huge monarchist monster composed of tens of millions of Teranoj.
Then, there is the Unio de Radikoj. An alliance of different lineages, each controlling one area of the Ombrel Forest, the so-called Radijok.
Linio Pluma is merely one of 7 other lineages, being mostly made up of feathered Kernuloj.
It also seems like words ending with -oj are plural. Would have been good to know before.
What is interesting is how there seems to be only one language across cultures, with only small slightly different dialects.
Unfortunately they don't know much more.
Since, all they know was taught by their parents or learned later in life.
Centralized knowledge centers don't seem to be a thing. Most learning skills through an apprenticeship system.
Throwing the leftover bones into the fire, I stand up.
I clean my hands in a small pool of water in the 'bathroom'.
And make my way to a small 'courtyard'. Which is basically a place where the planks are covered by a deep layer of dirt.
Intricate wooden dummies clutter the otherwise empty field.
Already there is Aro and Sira.
They are facing each other, silently standing with their sharp bone spears in claws.
Then, with a distant chirp echoing from afar, they both pounce.
I barely see anything beyond a blur.
The underside of their spear's heads colliding with a loud noise.
In a flash, Sira somehow is thrown forward.
The distance closed, Sira smashes upwards with the shaft of her spear.
Seemingly predicting her attack Aro dodges to the side.
Slashing his spear at her talons.
But instead of his spear hitting flesh, it lands on a small bluish square by her side.
Aro attempts to recover the spear, but it stubbornly remains stuck on the square.
Sira uses this opportunity to ram against Aro with her shoulder.
Her beak positioned right besides his neck.
Finally dislodging his spear, Aro takes a few steps back.
Both of them grab their own hands.
And with a ruffle of their feathers, slightly bow down.
That was exciting. Could barely see or understand anything, though.
I wonder how that 'shield' made the spear stick.
Standing up, Aro shifts to my direction.
Sira standing to the side.
"Manao is everywhere. Cannot touch or see it normally. You have to use your intent."
Guess we are starting.
"The first step. Mem-Suvereneco. To feel your intent, only then can you use it to control manao"
Self-Sovereignty, huh.
"How do I do that?"
"Sit down. Close your eyes and try to feel your will."
Getting comfortable on the dirt I follow his instructions.
Once I close my eyes, I can feel Aro's claws softly press against my back.
"Imagine a you. A you Inside your mind. Only then can you feel yourself"
Not a lot to go on, but it will have to do
In the darkness I picture myself sitting.
A copy of myself in my current position.
Slowly, minutes turn into hours.
Then…
Still nothing.
Damn
"Have Patience, Thomas. Mem-Suvereneco will not be easy" Sira's sudden chirp interrupts my thoughts.
"Usually takes long for Teranoj to 'see' Manao? That's right."
With the soft pressure against my back gone, I open my eyes.
Both Aro and Sira stand nearby.
"What you do often, you will do well. Now, follow me."
Sira leads us to the edge of the entire tree's platform –Or Arbet, as they call it.
Wind rushed from below.
Looking down, my head spins at the height.
"Linio Pluma jump down. Others use lift."
Covered by the clouds is a shabby hand crank elevator, manned by two immense white owls.
Right next to them were two tall posts.
With two bloody corpses swinging at the tune of the wind
A sign nailed into them reading: 'There is only one punishment for Teranoj'.
Avoiding the pools of blood I hesitantly board the elevator while the couple fly down.
The way down is shaky at best but I manage to not fall down.
They should put some guardrails at least.
Finally reaching land I pass through a checkpoint on the ground and reunite with the two blue falcons.
Together, we walk around the dense Ombrel Forest not far from Oran's Arbet.
The towering Ombrel trees blocking most of the sunlight.
While a diverse array of alien plants and flowers color the ground.
Walking, I find similar red granules to the ones I saw before.
"Those are Sangoj. They will explode once stepped on, leaving a sticky poisonous cloud. Useful for poison. Korveth birds throw them at the wounded for later scavenging" Noticing me looking at the granules Sira explains.
Mmm, maybe they grab them using their tongue or some specialized tissue? Maybe they have some unique secretion.
"Sounds like a dangerous animal. But why are we here?"
"Ombrel wood cannot be be lit. But Arbetestro Oran says we have to cover wood with Karbofloro wax" Aro chirps quietly
"Karbofloroj grow under the tallest of Ombrel Trees, feeding off lightning. Their wax makes wood remain untouched even if put directly on fire"
Makes sense. Building everything out of wood is hardly fire safe.
"Are we going to hunt?"
"Not today. We have enough game." Aro answers briefly.
"We already have enough meat for our quota."
"Quota?"
Suddenly, Sira signals me to remain silent.
A shadow not too far away scuttles into the forest.
Now that the area is clear, she answers casually.
"Every pluma must give some of their game to the community. The rest is for us"
"For those that don't hunt" Aro explains further.
The rest of the trip is relatively uneventful.
After wandering for a while we collect a few bundles of these waxy flowers. Which we then bring to a ground building full of pluma's working on wood.
The outing over, I ask hesitantly.
"Do you also use the lift to go up?"
Based on the size of their wings, I doubt they are capable of taking flight, even with their insane strength.
"Adult pluma do not. We fly"
Sira jumps.
She makes it ridiculously high into the air.
But that is far from enough to reach the platform.
Unsurprisingly she quickly starts to fall. However, a small bluish net appears under her talons.
Which she steps on with her well developed legs and 'bounces' on it, her wings flapping in assistance.
Aro smoothly follows her until they are both a blur in the sky.
I sigh and head to the creaky elevator.
Days fly past under the same routine.
During the mornings I try to feel my intent with Aro.
Meanwhile, throughout the afternoon I go hunting small prey or herb gathering with both of them, learning how to thrive in the Ombrel Forest.
Apparently I am too weak, so any actual significant hunting is out of the way.
Almost nearing two weeks, I sense something during Mem-Suvereneco practice.
A faint presence inside my imaginary self.
This… thing appears to be clashing against something coming from my back.
Aro's claw
Rather than a product of my imagination, this thing feels… real. Present.
According to Aro's instructions I have to focus on it.
Make it expand and fill my entire mind.
Until It goes beyond what can be contained by my imagination.
Until I feel it on my real body, or rather, inside particles superimposed on my cells.
I feel myself, my thoughts, my emotions spread all throughout my body.
Before, I was merely inside my mind.
Now I truly feel connected to my body.
One, and all the same.
Then I sense it.
A horrific corrosive presence deep within me, the noisy surroundings now feeling silent and dark.
Cold sweat pours down my body as I am left in despair.
The entire world gone, only a deep abyss left. A vast void of ignorance and forbidden knowledge, barely observable, but not understood, through this presence.
Luckily it is gone as fast as it appeared.
The terror now absent, I finally breath. My Consciousness coming back to the world of the living.
Panting I try to move past the experience.
With my enthusiasm dampened I open my eyes. Immediately noticing the difference.
The previously bleak colors that I had grown used to, have now changed into more vivid and… loud versions of themselves.
The dense clouds of dawn no longer capable of hiding my surroundings.
My mind clearer, sharper.
Muscles moving at a speed and strength I never had before.
"You know Mem-Suvereneco? Good. Good." Aro chirps happily while fluttering his wings.
"Is it normal to feel… a poison-like thing inside me?"
Aro looks at me confused and shakes his head.
Worried but powerless, I choose to look past that… terrifying presence and simply enjoy my newfound strength.
Probably hearing all the ruckus, Sira arrives.
"You succeeded. The next step is manao-Aŭskulto, to directly sense manao"
Sira taps her talons repeatedly against the dirt, betraying her excitement.
"However, you will first face me in battle. Do not hold back, you cannot hurt me."
Giving me no time to respond, she lunges forward brandishing a wooden spear.
Barely reacting in time I lean sideways using my left foot as pivot.
In response, she crouches slightly, bending her arm as she shoves me with the support of her body's weight.
Despite the pain of getting struck I feel no significant injury as I step back.
She waits in place, letting me gain around 4 meters of distance before charging again.
While fast, she is many fold slower than when she was fighting Aro.
No sign of the blue magic either.
Maybe I have a chance.
Now more prepared, I lower my center of gravity, sliding my left foot forward.
And 'unsheath' my half a meter long spiral horn from my belt with my right hand
I plan on dodging Sira's spear that is going straight towards my chest.
Instead she changes the direction of the spear by pushing down and to the side of the shaft with her other hand.
The spear now slashing to my neck.
I only have time to lift my 4 fingered left hand.
CLACK
The sound of wood hitting skin echoes through the courtyard.
Pain shoots through but instead of trying to make space, I turn my wrist and grab the spear.
Then, I thrust the Spiral horn on my free hand towards Sira's chest.
Undaunted, she pulls back the spear and rotates it with a twist of her wrist.
Her now free spear easily blocks my thrust with its shaft.
With my attack blocked I use the force to do a side kick with my leg.
Which she easily shrugs off with her thick wings by stepping in closer.
And with a movement of her spear, she lightly taps my throat.
Signaling the end of this 'spar'.
"You did well, for a beginner. You will be a great hunter"
Sira uncharacteristically pats my shoulder while nodding.
"Do not get arrogant. This increased strength is a small portion of a true Vekinto's power"
She really doesn't pull her punches. But I suppose whoever tries to kill me won't do so either.
"We can start manao-Aŭskulto"
I exhale, massaging my hurting wrist.
"What does manao-Aŭskulto mean? How is it done?"
"Manao invisible. Right, but manao can be changed by will to be touched and moved."
So this manao can be influenced by intent (or will) to become physical and change spatial positions.
That must have been what I saw that woman guard do with that bluish cloak.
"Can control intent? Use it to hit manao around you"
Like a radar of sorts?
I close my eyes
Plunged into darkness, I once again 'feel' my will and try to move it outside my body
The initially easy to manipulate intent suddenly becomes disobedient.
As if trying to lift a car.
Or arguing with your girlfriend.
Completely immovable.
But what little I move out of my body makes direct contact with multiple 'somethings'.
They have no set size, no body.
Yet they are somehow still there.
"I can sense this Manao but its hard to extend my intent far."
"Or for long" I add after a brief pause.
"You will need continued practice. Until you can use it during battle" Sira chirps with a click of her beak
I nod as they leave.
I keep practicing on the now silent field.
A few more days pass, my control over intent gradually becoming more proficient.
Even then I cannot last a whole day.
Or move it beyond half an inch of my body
But at least its manipulation is more intuitive.
Trying to change manao in any way is still extremely difficult.
Once again sitting on the training field's dirt I focus with my eyes closed.
My intent shifts, and slowly but surely enters surrounding manao.
Then, a square with a blue tinge appears on top of my hand.
Success
I open my eyes and clutch the 'barrier'
CRACK
My smile quickly disappears as the barrier dissipates into shards after barely touching it.
Not far away from me a puffy yellow pluma with dark lines throughout laughs.
Their throat rattling with a dry, broken cackle while their red eyes shine with intensity.
"Of course it will break if you dont use a Sorĉo."
Sorĉo? So that is what made Sira's square strong.
I should ask them about it later
"Who are you?"
"Haven't your Pluma Guarant told you about me? I am Yra, here to make your Kolorplumo"
"Nice to meet you Yra. I am Thomas. And no, they haven't told me anything"
Yra clicks her beak.
"You are a lucky one, Thomas. Teranoj aren't given the honor to wear our traditional garbs often, or to have them made by me."
My eye twitches slightly but I keep smiling.
"I suppose I really am. Do you need anything for this… Kolorplumo?"
"I actually do. Just give me whatever prey you caught. The stronger they were in life, the more beautiful I will make it."
I hand her the bones and skin of what little I hunted with the falcon couple; a non-horned rabbit, a terrifying but harmless deer-like creature with long legs and the rock-like shell of one of those jumping face huggers.
"I wasn't expecting much. But this is pretty bad. Once again you are lucky to have me, I will make it so that you are at least presentable " She adds, unnecessarily, with a chirp.
I choose to keep my mental health and ignore Yra.
"When will it be done?"
"I will leave it at your Guarantoj's house the day of Ovodanco. Just know that it is tradition to hunt by yourself on the day of the egg festival and add it to the Kolorplumo. So tell me what prey you chose and I will prepare something for it"
Having heard about it from Sira before, I tell Yra what I plan on hunting.
"That is an interesting choice."
She strokes her beak with her wing before nodding.
"I will have it done then. And good luck to your hunt, you will need it." With a wide sweep of her wings Yra leaves with flare.
Slightly awkwardly I follow Yra out.
I also have to leave. I want to ask Sira or Aro about Sorĉo
Unfortunately they don't seem to be home, but I manage to spot Sira near a stall on a crowded plaza.
Her and the red feathered stall owner are loudly chirping, both trying to barter.
Not wanting to interrupt, I merely stand close enough to listen to their conversation.
"...This cannot be. An entire handful Senvorta Herb is extremely rare in this radiko, I had to risk battle with a Kira to get it. I will only accept 12 handfuls of Lumi Biret for it."
"12 handfuls! A handful of Senvorta Herb is useless, it can't even be used for artefacts or alkemio."
"Do not treat me as a fool. Selling it to any Terano for their coins will make up for the cost of 12 handfuls, I am merely selling it to you for convenience."
"Alright, alright. But I can only give you 10 handfuls of Lumi Biret at the moment, the rest has already been sold for the festival."
With a click of her beak Sira reluctantly agrees, handing some whitish grass to the stall owner.
He gives her a large sack of bright mushrooms–the same ones I saw back inside the trunk.
"Thomas, did you need me for anything?." Clearly having seen me, Sira asks me.
"I met with Yra, I should have the Kolorplumo by the day of the festival."
"Good." Sira shifts the sack of mushrooms to her other wing as we walk. "She is unpleasant, but skilled."
"She also mentioned something about Sorĉo?"
Sira pauses briefly before answering.
"We were going to wait until you had more control over manao before teaching you."
"Alright, but what even is Sorĉo? Maybe it could be useful for my hunt before the festival."
Her head tilts, one eye fixing on me with that unnerving bird-like focus. After a moment, she clicks her beak in agreement, or maybe resignation.
"Mmm. Alright, knowing will not hurt."
"Sorĉoj are maps that tell you where you should place manao. Manao can only be changed by intent and manao itself. With a map, you can amplify the power of manao using the effects of surrounding manao"
"Sorĉoj use the power of the collective, not every individual manao working alone."
"Like an array where there is some connection in between each manao particle that strengthens the overall effect?"
"Yes… That should be correct." Sira responds with slight hesitation.
"Then could you show me how to cast a Sorĉo? Maybe I could learn something from it"
"Sorĉoj are not easy to learn. But if you are that impatient, then have it your way." Sira clicks her beak but ultimately concedes.
Reaching the training field in silence I sit down on the now comfortable dirt.
"Sorĉoj are divided by their difficulty of learning and use into: Simple, Regular, Moderate, Complex, Advanced and Expert."
"Learning Sorĉoj is not simply replicating, you have to adapt it to your own intent. I will cast Forpuŝeto, a simple Sorĉo which creates a small push."
After speaking she places her hand on my back.
Understanding what she wants me to do I focus and project my will where her claw is.
Not long after I sense something.
I feel her intent colliding with my own as she manipulates manao to form an invisible shape; a 3-dimensional triangle with a large base and sharp end.
As soon as the shape forms and Sira's intent leaves it immediately 'explodes', all the force leaving the triangle through its peak.
Which I feel as a slight shove on my back. Enough to make me lean forward a bit, but that's it.
Removing her hand Sira hands me a small piece of parchment with the drawing of the triangle I just sensed.
"If you want to learn Forpuŝeto then you will try to form this shape. Until you succeed in making it have the same effect that I showed you. Remember, every intent is different. So there will be differences on the manao map, but the shape should be the same."
"What about other Sorĉoj? Can you show them to me"
"Do not battle that which you cannot defeat, Thomas. More difficult Sorĉoj will be useless to you. So do not waste time." Sira clicks her beak in irritation.
I let out a sigh in frustration as I massage my temples
"Can you at least tell me the name of the Sorĉo you used to fly before?
"It is called Pluflugo"
I thank Sira as she leaves with a rustle of her wings.
Determined to gain something I start practicing–not the triangle but random figures.
I keep 'arranging' manao in different positions, trying to find what variables make Sorĉoj work.
Hours pass and I learn a surprising lot.
Based on my 'experiments', the distance between each particle and its degree of invisibility are the only types of 'intermanao' forces. The only two variables that influence other manao directly.
For example, placing two manao on the exact same place at the same degree of existence until they are superimposed, makes them fly slowly into complete opposite directions.
Besides that, there is intent. However, I still cannot truly understand a thing about it.
Sira said all intent is different, but why is that? How do such differences express themselves?
And more importantly could they be quantified? Can a soul be given a value?
Regardless, I think it might be possible to mathematically express how I can influence manao. At least in a way that works for me.
Which should allow me to learn and cast Sorĉoj with more ease.
But first, I need paper.