After almost three weeks of travel, Tower and the Gun brothers were able to master their cultivation technique and cultivate steadily. Other than cultivating, Master Shannon would often have the three men run next to the wagon in full armor with weights added. At first, they could barely do this for ten miles before falling in exhaustion. Now, they were all able to keep up with the wagon for seventy-three miles. Master Shannon was amazed at how fast the boys advanced.
Some of this advancement had to do with their rapid progress in their cultivation. The rest of it had to do with their bodies and their iron wills. Master Shannon was especially impressed by Tower who didn't have the special bodies the Gun brothers have. He wasn't a member of the Dikokan Clan.
Master Shannon looked at the oversized Tower. Sweet glistened down his dark brown, almost black, skin and shaved head. The scars that covered his face and body were slowly disappearing. This was one of the benefits of their cultivation technique. It promoted a rebuilding of the body and fixed exterior and interior injuries. Tower had mentioned that his bad knee had started healing. About three years ago, he tore some ligaments in his knee and it almost forced him to quit the warrior's life.
Tower was too determined to let a little injury like this hold him back, so he learned how to fight by redistributing the weight and how he used his techniques. These changes caused him to develop a rather unique fighting style that turned out to be better than his original style.
"Tell me Tower, my boy, what clan do you come from?" Master Shannon asked.
"Clan?" Tower repeated Master Shannon's question.
"Yes, what clan do you come from?" repeated Master Shannon.
"I don't really come from a clan. My father was part of the Murburi tribe. He was a great warrior who was likely to become the next chief. He was sent on a mission to negotiate with another tribe. Along the way, he was chased by a large panther beast, called a Nightstalker, he ran away from the beast and nearly died from it. He woke up in a tent, it was my mother's tent. She nursed him back to health and they fell in love.
The Amazons are an immortal sect of women, they are all mighty warriors! They didn't like men and would often kill any man they found. My mother was very secretive about the whole thing of finding my father. When she became pregnant she decided to flee with my father. They escaped to a far away village in the mountains.
My mother had me and my parents raised me. We were very happy, mother even taught me Amazonian fighting arts on the mortal level. Unfortunately, the Amazons eventually found us. My father was killed immediately. My mother was the daughter of Amazon Queen I found out. I had royal blood. Grandmother secretly liked the idea of having a grandson, she never had a boy descendent. She was curious about how I would fair and if I could activate my Amazonian bloodline or not. So far I haven't been able to, but lately, I feel a little different. Maybe it's the cultivation technique, but I feel like I'm getting much stronger. Amazons have inhumanly strong bodies and fast regenerative powers, which I do have. They also have strong elemental affinities.
Master Shannon was surprised to learn all of these things. No wonder this boy was so strong, he was part Amazon and even used their mortal fighting techniques!
"Are you still in touch with your Grandmother?" Master Shannon asked.
"Yes, we talk through a Sect coin once a year. She likes to send me gifts every now and then," said Tower.
"You don't resent the Amazons for killing your father?" Malkus asked.
Tower sighed helplessly, "Not really, the reason they killed my father was they thought he had broken into Amazon territory and kidnapped and raped my mother. My mother was in the forest at the time and wasn't able to explain things before they killed him. The woman who killed him felt very bad about the whole thing. She even promised to serve as my protector for the rest of my life."
"Protector, I haven't noticed any protector with you," stated Master Shannon, he was a little confused.
"Why would a mortal sense me?" a female voice from the jungle asked.
Master Shannon and the Gun brothers were totally shocked by this revelation. A beautiful Amazon warrior came out of the jungle. Her skin was darker than Towers and her hair was pulled into a tightened bun. She wore what seemed like camouflage armor. Over the armor was a cape with a hood. The cape was behind her and the hood was pulled down. A battle skirt over cloth pants and boots were worn. A light armor chest plate, shoulder guards, and numerous bracelets adorned her armor. She carried a spear, a sword and shield were also visible as were a bow and arrows. Amazons didn't like putting their weapons in their storage rings, they were always afraid of not being ready when it was time to battle.
"This is my protector and fiance, Bwiri," said Tower by way of introduction.
"Fiance!" the Gun brothers shouted in agitation.
"My lady, you don't plan on taking him into your sect?" Master Shannon asked.
"Our sect is for women, our techniques are all designed for women. How could he become a great warrior and immortal there? Besides, I believe where you are sending him is very appropriate for my prince." Bwiri said without completely saying.
"You know where we're going?" Master Shannon asked cautiously.
"I do, and I approve of your intentions. However, your training methods are too gentle. None of these men will reach their potential the way you've been training them. From now on I will conduct the training of Tower and his little brothers. Do you object?" Bwiri asked.
"Of course I do not object, I would appreciate your help. I'm merely a cultivator who hasn't broken through the mortal shackles. I'm definitely not as capable as you." Master Shannon smiled.
"You are a good man, you do not need to grovel before me. I approve of your methods. You underestimate yourself. Here, take this and this, with these you will have what you need to break through the mortal level." Bwiri handed Master Shannon some pills and a few other items. Master Shannon's eyes widened into expressions of joy.
"Thank you, my lady, oh thank you!" Master Shannon said. He really could break through and gain a much longer life. He had long ago given up on breaking through the Mortal level.
"Will you still give your reward to that Duke?" asked Bwiri.
"Of course, I meant what I said, I think of him like my nephew. Material things are not what matters most in this world." Master Shannon said.
"Good man!" said Bwiri.
Paneneko looked over at Tower and got near him before jabbing him in the ribs with his elbow.
"Big brother, you're with this woman? That must be nice," said Paneneko.
Tower looked at Paneneko with a perturbed expression.
"We are only engaged right now, we are not 'together,' yet," said Tower.
"Why not?" asked Paneneko.
"It is because he is still a mortal, it isn't fitting for a mortal and an immortal to be together. When he becomes an immortal I will become his first wife," said Bwiri.
"The first wife?" asked Malkus.
"Yes, Bwiri will be my first wife and I have decided to allow her to choose my future wives and concubines. She is first in my heart and first in authority among my women," said Tower.
Bwiri didn't say anything but she smiled quietly. When she made her pledge several years ago she truly felt terrible for robbing this young man of his father. At first, she took on this pledge as a matter of honor, but the more she got to know Tower the more favorably she looked at him. His valiance, nobility, and intelligence were appealing to her as a warrior. However, his kindness, deep emotional concern for her and others, and his magnanimous nature were appealing to her as a woman. She eventually fell in love with him. He also fell in love with her.
She wasn't very old as an immortal. She was brought to the tribe less than one hundred years ago. People would sometimes bring their daughters to the Amazons hoping for a better life for them. That is what happened with Bwiri. When she was a little girl her parents brought her to the Amazons hoping they would give her the opportunity to become an immortal. The father and mother were very poor villagers and a recent famine wiped out all of their crops. A bandit group killed half the villagers and took away the young girls. The village was more or less done for.
Realizing they couldn't provide a future for their daughter, they didn't even know if they could survive the winter, the couple made the hard choice to bring Bwiri to the Amazons. It turned out that Bwiri was very talented and the Amazons were happy to take her in. The parents were given money and transported to another more prosperous village. They lived there for many years until they died of old age. They had many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Bwiri met with her parents once a year until they passed away. She always appreciated the sacrifice they made for her.
Even though the Amazons had always treated her as one of their own, Bwiri never felt like she totally fit in. She was always looking for ways to prove herself to the Amazons. That's what lead to her mistake that day. When she found the Queen's eldest daughter had a child, she immediately flew into a rage assuming the worst. Tower's father tried to explain, but she never gave him the chance. She pulled out her sword and killed him.
It was only after the princess returned and explained things, that Bwiri understood her mistake. She begged for the Princess's forgiveness which she accepted. Right after forgiving her, though, she asked Bwiri something she still remembers.
"What about his forgiveness, you killed his father, how will you help a boy to forgive you when you have taken away his protector and teacher?"
Bwiri was heart-broken when she saw the brave little Tower trying to hold back his tears.
"I will be his protector from now on, and I will marry him one day." This was the decision she came to. She took away his protector, so she would become his protector. She took away his father who gave him life, so she would become his wife and give life to his children.
This decision cost her a great deal. Men were not allowed to live in the Amazon sect, so Bwiri's vow more or less puts her into exile. She didn't mind, she was resolute and noble. She would never regret a decision she made.
After collecting her thoughts, Bwiri looked to the young men.
"Alright, enough of this nonsense. Given I will train you from now on I want to understand more about you. First, let's check your elemental affinity." Bwiri said.