I sat on a mountain top near a cliff, universal heavenly energy flowing into me from my surroundings. My eyes closed in meditation, my legs crossed indian style, my hands to my side. Birds chirped and fluttered between the mountain pines, firs, pinyons and other evergreen trees. A light breeze flowed across my skin fueled by heat heavenly energy turning to wind and movement heavenly energy high in the atmosphere. Insects buzzed and flew to and fro, but I let none of this disturb me. I simply observed and let it go, returning my focus to my heavenly core that was located near my heart. There a small spiraling ball of energy rotated, tumbling and turning like a boat caught in a storm as universal heavenly energy flooded into it from outside me, and was converted into personal heavenly energy slowly, an energy that was more compatible with my body and soul. I don't know how long I sat there meditating and gathering heavenly energy into my energy spiral. Before I was finally disturbed by a sweet pleasant voice yelling "Ye Baosho! Its late and dinner is gonna get cold if you don't come now!" the person yelling was my childhood friend who originated from the neighboring kingdom of Areshi. Her father and my father were both traveling merchants when they met by coincidence after they both got scammed out of a lot of money by a pirate captian dressing as a sailing merchant. After getting there revenge on said pirate captain after many years. They finally managed to track him down and set a trap, later making a lot of money from it. They both decided to settle down and have a family there after. When my mom had me my dad engaged me to the Aguni's daughter Ren who was only 6 months older than me at the time. I opened my eyes looking down towards where the voice came from and saw a beautiful girl of around 15 years old with a cute face, blue eyes and short disheveled blond hair that almost made her look like a boy if not for the fact she had a perfect feminine figure. I get up and yell down to her with a smile on my face "Coming!". Quickly turning around I run down the small narrow trail that leads to the base of the cliff that i was on. Soon I reach the base of the small cliff, catching up to Ren and saying to her "You didn't come up here only to yell at me did you?" she turns towards me with a grin on her face saying "Of course not silly" Before taking off down the mountain trail, wind heavenly energy fueling her steps, her hair flying out in the wind behind her. I shake my head snorting thinking that she's still such a tomboy before taking off after her. In the gaps between trees as i run i catch glimpses of Ren in front of me along with smoke rising from the brick chimneys of the dozen or so houses in the village. I yell "You better hury up Ren or im gonna get there first and eat all of grandpa Aguni's rolls!" as I close the gap between myself and her, changing some of my movement heavenly energy from running into wind heavenly energy that I wrap around my feet using it to lengthen each of my strides by pretty much jumping each step. Soon, just as im about to pass her she yells back to me "Like you've ever won any race Baosho!" Before she turns into a blur, the only sign of where she went being the leaves and pine needles kicked up off the forest floor in her wake. I know i can never match her in terms of speed and agility so I set a steady yet quick pace and head off the switchbacking trail to take a more direct route to the village hoping that I'll be able to catch her by doing so. Running through the forest is inherently more dangerous than running on the trail and requires far more skill to even keep the same pace as on the trail, since the slightest misstep could result in all types of injuries from a simple sprained ankle, to multiple bone fractures that'd keep you in bed for months and potentially even cripple you, but for someone like me who grew up in, and knew these woods like the back of there hand it wasn't even a challenge. I could only hope Ren didn't have the same idea. I neared the base of the mountain quickly not yet having seen any sign of Ren as I descended. Thinking that she's probably already at grandpa's Aguni's. I increased my pace as the forest changed to grass fields then to an old rutted dirt road that led to the village. Each of my strides covering nearly 10 feet, quickly bringing me into the village. I arrive at Grandpa Aguni's house and see Ren soaked in sweat panting, walking to the front door. I yell out to her "Hey what happened? Your usually already eating all the rolls by now. Don't tell me your getting slower!?" as she sees me there right behind her, she quickly runs into the house since its pretty much an unspoken rule that whoever gets in there first has first dibs on Grandpa's rolls. I follow soon after albeit much slower. Inside the main room of the house there's an old bear skin rug with 1 rocking chair sitting on both sides of the fireplace which was to my left to the right of the room is a small 4 person round table where currently Grandpa Aguni and Ren were sitting waiting for me to arrive. On the table rested a juicy ham leg, a round block of cheese that already had 2 slices taken out of it, and a huge basket piled high with rolls of course Grandpa Aguni had also brought out condiments to go with them as I walked to the table Ren turned towards me and said "Hah, you lost again Baosho" "So what" I replied "Your core is at a much higher stage than mine, and your much more skilled with wind and movement heavenly energy". She harrumphed and said "That's no excuse for being slow, though my core is at a higher stage you always keep coming up with unique, strange, and efficient ways to use your heavenly energy" "She's right ya know" and old yet steady voiced sounded out from next to Ren "I know but that still doesn't make up for the gap in stages that's why I've been cultivating so much lately" I replied to them both as I sat down at the seat nearest the fireplace "You'll get there eventually Baosho" Ren said as she reached for a roll "Indeed boy just give it time" Grandpa Aguni said right after before stuffing a steaming hot roll covered in butter and honey into his mouth and starting to chew loudly like most old people. When me and Ren saw this we both cringed a little before continuing with our dinner. After dinner we helped clean the table and did the dishes using our running water artifact which was common for most middle class people or higher to possess. It gathered and converted universal heavenly energy from the environment into movement and water heavenly energy. The movement heavenly energy making the water flow while the water heavenly energy was actualized into water. In this way people where able to have running water in the home, unfortunately it was fairly expensive so only wealthy people or people who knew how to save had it. After we finished the dishes we decided to clean up the house so Grandpa Aguni wouldn't yell at us and also so we had more free time tomorrow to cultivate. Ren swept the floor while I dusted off trinkets and objects on the multitude of shelfs around the house, while also trying not to wake up Grandpa Aguni. Who was passed out on one of the wooden rockers with a wool blanket on his lap. luckily he was snoring pretty loudly which helped cover up any sounds we made. After we finished cleaning up I said "Goodnight" to Ren since I needed to head home for the night and it was getting pretty late. I was walking down the main street when I decided to stop and see what everyone was up to at the local inn and bar which was the Drunken Cart which somehow, was supposed to be a funny name since a cart can't get drunk but I'd never found how it was funny. The Drunken Cart also happened to be ran by an acquaintance of my dad, who at the moment was out of town with my mom, trading the furs from the previous trapping season. As I walked up the old creaky steps to the beat-up wood door I could hear laughter and merrymaking happening inside. Which only became louder once I opened the door and walked in. At this time of night most patrons were either A passed out B drunk and totally incoherent or C asleep upstairs, or at home if they could still walk when they left. So the only one that noticed me enter was the inns owner Carlos. Carlos came from a far south country that specialized in all kinds of alcohol. Many of which Carlos brought recipes to when he decided to travel north seeking fortune. So as you can imagine his bar was a very popular place at night, with some people even coming from as far away as the far eastern kingdoms to try his beers and wines. I sat down at a dark corner table so I'd be able to observe and eavesdrop on the drunken patrons and find out if there was any interesting rumors or news from the village or neighboring kingdoms. As I sat i looked around the room trying see if there was unusual people that might have interesting information. At the counter sat most of the normals completely drunk with empty beer bottles and tankards lying around them, across from me on the other side of the room near the fireplace sat 2 local couples a few mercenaries and and 2 people with blacks hood covering there faces wearing black cloaks. When I saw them I immediately thought they may have some interesting information so I decided to tune in and see if I could pick up on there conversation. By now more and more of the patrons had started to pass out or leave so I was able to faintly pick up on what they where saying even though they were speaking quietly "Have you gotten any word of if we'll get back up if we find anything" I faintly heard the bigger figure on the left say. "No" the other smaller cloaked figure replied "For now were on our own". "Well at least we'll still get paid even if we don't find anything" The big figure said before continuing saying "We should head out soon demons are most active in the deep of night" The big figure then stood up and headed towards the door the smaller figure following right behind. As they got nearer I was able to see they were both carrying swords and potentially other weapons too. Before they walked out they glanced around the room. I quickly lowered my gaze like everybody else that was still conscious, until they yelled out "Thanks Carlos that was some of the best wine I've tasted" Before leaving. I looked up again once I heard the door slam shut and though to myself 'So those two are demon hunters hmm?' 'Should I follow them?' After a couple seconds of debating I quickly made up my mind and headed toward the door before I was stopped with my hand on the knob by Carlos yelling out "Now you wouldn't be thinking about following those 2 this late at night now would you Baoshou?" "Of course not" I replied quickly with a tongue that could talk anyone out of trouble. Carlos gave me a stern gaze for a few seconds before saying "I guess I can't stop ya but plz stay safe Baosho at least for your mother's sake" "I will" I replied as walked out the door. Searching the road for the two people in cloaks that had just left as soon it shut behind me, quickly spotting them heading down the road towards the mountains where I'd cultivated earlier today.