Taking several deep breaths I stopped trying to take control of the fish, but instead, take over the flow.
Taking control of the few strands of Qi at the front of the waves I lead the rest of the rampaging qi through my body and blades trying to keep them in check, despite this several still managed to escape away to other parts of my body dealing devastating damage.
Whenever that would happen, I would send the leading qi over the spot to try and repair it but the rest of the wave would then wash over burning it, causing immense pain in the healing process.
Time passed slowly as I continued to fight for control over my rampaging qi slowly gaining the upper hand against it only shortly as it rampaged even more furiously in response.
We are both separate and the same.
Perhaps I'm doing this wrong.
'I need you all to calm down, I am not in danger of death, this is for the better it will save my life and strengthen yours, we need to work together to survive this, not fight!' I tried to send this message towards my Soul Heart.
I felt the rampaging qi stop for a short moment before it began again.
Once more I sent the message and this time the qi stopped for a few moments before going once more.
"It's my Qi! The pure qi of the Scarlet wolves, how did you manage to get it? My will did you...?" Dratan's voice shivered as terrible happiness exploded in it, "So it is not over yet! There is still one of my kin left in this world! It is you, Agashi Durlivan, you are the last living creature with my qi!"
Immediately after he spoke, the qi within my body began rushing towards the cape like a child that had found its parent.
I see, so it was rampaging through my body because it wanted to go see him.
"Dratan, your qi misses you." I snickered, "Any of you who wish to go back to him, go, the rest of you who wish to stay with me, however, must listen to me."
Suddenly a flood of qi rushed forward towards the cape assimilating with Dratan, who did not scream in agony or pain, "Since it is my qi, they will not harm me."
With a smile, I looked within my body and found that only the qi born after the strengthening had finished back in Matel's base was left.
The young qi that was the first to come under my control easily.
Releasing them from my will they immediately rushed around my body of their own will healing my lighter injuries.
By now due to the rampaging inside my body the spear wound had been singed closed, no longer do I have to worry about dying from blood loss, though internal bleeding is certainly a danger.
"Dratan, I leave my life in your hands now," I said lightly, with the qi left in my body working hard on its own I realized something.
Qi is not to be controlled.
Humans have two hearts, one that nourishes the body and the other that nourishes the soul.
We are together but separate for when the body dies the soul can leave but will die shortly after, one but apart.
To truly achieve power one does not need to control their qi, but instead foster harmony between the self and the soul.
In that way, the Qi will work on its own without the need of direction, it will flow with ease through the body instead of with extreme pain.
I see.
Let the soul be free, and you shall be free, isn't that right?
I passed out shortly after.
Time flew by though I don't know how much.
When I awoke I found that the cape had disappeared turning into an amber crimson pendant around my neck, the bones of Dratan acting as the chain and a part of his ribcage acting as the actual pendant.
Likely enough the amber crimson stone is his Soul Heart where he now resides.
Checking my body's condition it must be much better since I can move enough to check it.
The qi within my body has settled down as well and is currently working on strengthening my body even without my direction, they are working hard and so must I.
Using my sabers which I can't pull from their sheath, I stand up albeit with great effort.
"Dratan, you there?" I asked roughly.
"..... Look down." Dratan's voice sounds much younger?
My eyes went wide as I stifled a laugh staring at Dratan who now stood less than fifty centimeters tall.
He's so cute....!
"What happened?" I asked trying to be serious.
"I don't have enough power to manifest as my true self, so I must manifest in this version, I will get stronger quickly as I gather natural qi now that that damned dogs curse is lifted from my body." Dratan's small face twisted fiercely, not even that small body could hide his murderous temper.
If he got the chance, I'm sure he would challenge Laminas without a second thought even in that form.
"Using my claws as crutches, it sickens me but is a must." Dratan's voice dropped an octave in disgust.
Claws?
Now that I think about it these sabers do seem a lot longer, and heavier, not to mention the scabbards also seem a lot rougher in texture.
I see.
"Is there anything else that has changed?" I asked curiously whilst limping up the stairs.
Blood loss is a hell of a thing.
"That tattoo on your neck is gone." He replied mischievously, "Now there's an even bigger one on your forehead."
"No!" I laughed amusedly.
So this old wolf knows how to make jokes?
"But seriously, the tattoo on your neck is gone, it could no longer sustain itself and instead moved inside your body, that is the mark that binds you and me, it should be engraved into your Soul Heart, as your mark is engraved into mine." He finally said trotting up the steps.
"I see."
It was silent for the rest of the walk, the long long walk.
Finally after who knows how long we arrived at the heavy stone door.
Pushing it with extreme focus I managed to just crack it open getting a good amount of light.
It felt like I had been washed over by some sort of great kindness.
A feeling of relief reaching me.
My qi which had become more tenacious over my time in the hole reinforced my lower back and legs along with my forearms increasing my stability and power output.
Because of this, the door opened much faster.
Essentially jumping it I arrived in front of a court full of people with Nova sitting on the throne and Shion in front of him.
"Uhhh, hello....?" I sheepishly called out.
W-what's going on?
"You're alive!" Nova half-shouted quickly regaining his composure.
Feeling an object speeding towards me from my blind side I prepared to dodge but it was too late, it had already arrived too close.
".....Shion!" On top of me, a very unsightly Shion crying heavily sat beating my chest.
Nova quickly emptied the hall leaving only the commanders and close aids of mine inside.
"Where were you?! We looked for you for two weeks! You just disappeared! What happened?!" Shion screamed burying her crying face into my chest.
"I was caught in a trap and almost died," I replied truthfully exposing my chest to show her the scar left by the spear.
When I did I realized that I hadn't eaten in two weeks and likely I looked very weak and boney.
How pitiful must I look?
"Quickly, we need to prepare, how did the negotiations go? What about the Loijon family? And how is Durlivan faring?" I shot off these questions as I tried to stand, only to stumble forward almost falling face-first had Nova not caught me.
The qi within my body that had been working endlessly is tired out now and without any danger around has chosen to quietly circulate resting and recovering as well.
They worked hard.
"How-"
"How can you be thinking of those things? You look like you haven't eaten or seen sunlight in two weeks. Bring food now, we will discuss things over a meal and that is final." Nova cut off Shion as he calmly spoke his aura however like that of a lion that had been poked awake by a dagger.
"I... see...." It's about high time I take a proper nap instead of just passing out.
Closing my eyes the next time I awoke was to eat.
I had at some point been moved to a large dining room where not only Shion and Nova were eating, but Warren, Marcus, Netman, Huantu, Keneth, Clay, Anept, Senal, Baroli, Satree and Seramia.
All of them sat now to eat.
Hardvar and Leyalt hid away in the shadows of the room on extreme alert, the room was filled with at least fifteen operatives, no shadow left empty.
"So, what happened these two weeks I was away?" I asked seriously taking a feeble bite out of the meat in front of me.
It's tough this meat.
Putting in as much power as I could muster I cut the meat before biting it again.
Noticing the looks I was getting I asked, "What is it?"
The meat is just tough.
"What.... happened to you those two weeks?" Warren asked his face had been pale since long ago, "It feels like there is a different kind of aura around you more powerful and much fiercer, but your body has been destroyed to such an extent."
Destroyed?
Warren cut the meat on his plate with ease.
"....so the meat isn't tough." I said.
I've weakened too much in those days.
Everyone now looked at me wanting a reply to the question.
"A butler was waiting in front of the barracks on the day of the trade deal, he said he would take me to the secret conference room, when I arrived at the stairs I realized it was a trap but it was too late and I was shot with a spear just beside my heart sending backward down a long flight of stairs." I said evenly taking a few more bites of food, "At the bottom, I struggled relentlessly to stop the bleeding using my qi."
No one asked anymore.
It was clear that they understood that I no longer wished to talk about the events down there.