Drummen laid on his small bed staring at the ceiling. "It's almost time for me to go out and find someone to improve my current mood."
He sat up and grabbed the half-eaten meal on the table and paced around the room. "She's going to kill me, especially after all the things that the Supreme has said and my lack of motivation in the stalls this past moon. I really hope some company tonight will distract me tonight."
He sat back down on his spartan bed in silence waiting for the bell to ring. He finished the small meal and laid back on the bed, unable to sleep, he once again found himself staring at the ceiling.
"So Daikish was a guard for the Supreme and not just a guard but a general as well. I wonder how good she was back then and how does the Supreme know her technique in training people?"
He watched the firebattery light dancing on the walls, as the shadows danced with the light of the firebattery helped him relax, until a ringing bell woke him out of the spell.
He smiled listening to the bell. "It's finally time for me to meet my ladies for the night and maybe tomorrow as well."
He got dressed in dark clothing, picked up his side bag checking the clothes inside. "For morning service, prayer and also partying the night away. All here… Now it's time to go."
He opened the door quietly. "No guard here yet."
He made his way out of the student priest dorms and into a small nearby garden quickly hiding in the branches of a tree.
He moved through the garden. "There's the tree. Almost there…" He stopped suddenly feeling his heartbeat increase. "Who's that?" He cursed under his breath. He turned to go back and heard footsteps and cursed again. He lowered himself as he saw the night sentry approaching and looked at the shadow against the tree.
The sentry's light revealed the shadow making him curse again silently. "Why is she there? Does she know that I go out from here?" He cursed. "Is it because of what the Supreme said today?"
He heard her bored voice call out to him. "You took your time. Now hurry up and stand in front of me." He sighed and jumped down from the branch he was hiding on and walked up to Daikish who was not wearing her usual high priestly robes. Drummen's imagination went wild. His face suddenly became red and shook his head and sighed.
"Yes, Lord Daikish. You look very different out of your robes. I'll return to my room. Don't worry, I forgot all about what the Supreme said."
"Grrrrrrrrrr."
He took a small step back as he heard Daikish grind her teeth slightly. He watched her take a breath and her cheeks started to turn red. "What's going on, your cheeks are all red. It's just like you have spent an evening with some guy somewhere."
"Slllllapp… Slllapp… Slap!"
His cheeks became red and swollen after being hit several times by Daikish. He placed his hand on his burning cheek.
"Sorry Lord Daikish… I was out of place."
Drummen opened his mouth to say more. "Lord…"
"Now is not the time nor the place to talk. Our time is also very rushed. We must leave, there are some things that need to be sorted out quickly."
He watched in surprised silence as Daikish climbed the tree without effort. He shook his head and started to climb up after her. He jumped off the branch hanging over the wall and landed on the ground with a soft thud.
"Do you have any understanding of urgency or rush? Come we need a drink."
He stood up and dusted himself off as he followed after Daikish in silence. He looked at her moving quickly through the streets. "Lord Daikish. What is happening? I'm quite confused about this. Why a drink?"
He watched her stop and face him with an impatient look. "First drink, then we talk. Before that you have no need to talk unless I talk to you first. Understand?"He nodded and followed her keeping his head down.
He walked in silence behind her occasionally taking a glance at her face when they changed direction. He cursed. "Tonight, I was supposed to meet up with some beautiful ladies that would make me laugh and smile." He sighed. "Now, I have to spend my time with her doing something either boring or painful." He cursed again. "Stupid bad luck…"
He stopped when Daikish stopped and faced him. Her voice full of her killing intent. "When we get to the tavern, the things you're going to hear, and see you must never forget or tell anybody. If I hear that you've forgotten or opened your big mouth, I'll come after you and beat you so hard you'll not be able to walk ever again."
He nodded, "yes Lord Daikish, I'll obey…"
He took a step back as she raised her hand. "While we're in the tavern you're to call me Kailoa, understand?"
He could feel the ice-cold sense of death approaching flowing down his spine, and he quickly nodded.
She looked at him and shook her head. "Weak…" He followed her in silence until they reached the tavern that had a picture of a floating mountain with a sword going through the middle.
"I've been here several times. The staff are very helpful." Drummen mumbled as they stood at the door. She looked at him, "are you ready?" He nodded, and reached to open the door, but she opened and walked into the tavern without any further conversation.
"I might as well keep my mouth closed. That way I won't get beaten by her if I say the name wrong."
They walked into the tavern they were greeted by noise and drunken singing of everyone in the tavern, a few recognized him and voices called out to him."Drummen you're here. We've a lute for you so come join us."
Drummen smiled widely as his two favorite tavern staff smiled and walked over to him while grabbing at his clothes."We hope you didn't forget us?" He turned and saw Daikish staring at the tavern girls. "You have a poor choice. Get rid of them." He nodded and looked at the pouting tavern girls playing with the buttons on his clothes. "Sorry ladies. Tonight, I can't play with you. I'll make it up for you tomorrow, I promise."
Walking away from them caused him to curse at Daikish. "She is really trying to destroy my life. A demon woman…"
He watched her walk over to the large man behind the bar. He followed in silence. "Long time no see Gaen, keep sending them our way till we fall over."
He watched her hand over two gold coins to Gaen. "Anything for the beautiful Kailoa. It has been a while, but we'll have the best brought to you in your private booth as like old times."
Drummen followed Gaen's gaze and stood speechless at the tavern staff who was looking at them both. "She is beautiful…" He watched her as she led them through the tavern and past the sounds and smells of the kitchen to a private room. He watched Daikish walk into the room and stared at the tavern staff as she bit her lower lip. "Oh my… I'll be seeing you later handsome."
He closed the door to the private room and stood by the door while Daikish sat down. "Sit…" He slowly sat opposite her. "Is this a test of some sorts?" He watched her clench her jaw, holding his breath and waited for the punishment.
"In future when you come to any taverns in any city ask for the private room, it'll always cost the same. You'll get all the food, and drink that you can hold." He watched her wave a finger at him. "The most important thing about this room is that it is silent, and it's better people don't know you're here. As there are those that don't like the way we smell, especially angry fathers."
He looked confused. "What do you mean by smell? I understand about the angry fathers. What's happening tonight?" He sat in silence staring at her in confusion.
"Knock. Knock."
He heard Daikish's voice cut the silence between them. "Enter."
The door swung open and two tavern staff entered the room carrying plates and clay pitchers of beer and wine. He heard his stomach grumble and sat waiting for Daikish to eat. "This is your chance for a free meal, so hurry up and eat and drink, we both need to drink a lot tonight."
They ate and drank in silence with Drummen silently cursing into his pitcher. "I could be out there with that woman having a very amazing and relaxing bath. But no… I'm stuck in here with someone who is a complete ice demon."
He looked up from his clay pitcher and saw Daikish sigh and look depressed.
"Kailoa… What is the matter? I may only be an apprentice, but if someone has hurt you, I'll make them pay."
"Hahahahaha."
His face turned red when he realized the words that he said and cursed silently. "Drummen, you're funny. In public your anger and dislike of me is well known. I know my little toys were the cause of that, but you are willing to put that to the side when I look depressed. You really are weak to women… Or maybe you have feelings for me. Hohoho."
He shook his head. "It is just the beer and wine talking…"
"Hahahaha." He watched her wipe her mouth. "Drummen… You've been asking about why we're here…" She took a long drink.
He nodded and sat in silence.
"The Supreme has asked me to do something, so I'll be leaving on the mission when the sun rises, and there is a chance that I won't be able to return here to the dome. "Drummen was silent, but he could feel his heart and mind were dancing in joy. He pushed the joyous feeling down and lowered his head hiding his smile.
"This must be a serious task that you've been given to do from the Supreme?" She nodded emptying her cup. "As you know I used to be one of his guard but was given a task and had to leave my post for a period of time."
Drummen looked at her. "So, what does this place have to do with me here?" He followed her eyes and looked at his empty pitcher. She filled it back up.
"You need to be drinking more. I've taught you all the earth forms of the staff. However, there is one final form that you need to learn and master by the time we meet again… That is if we meet again…"
He watched Daikish stand up and wobbled forward where there was space to move and pulled out one of the staffs she was carrying.
He stared at her red face. "This is called return to earth, but you must be drunk for it to be effective and strong, so always carry very strong wine with you."
She raised a hand and Drummen followed it to a wine pouch that was attached to her belt. She pointed at a wine pouch on her side.
"Very, very, very strong wine. They call it firewine." He watched in silence as she took a long drink from the wine pouch. "Catch."
Drummen caught it and took a drink from it. "Arrrrgh. It burns."
"Cough… Cough… Cough."
"What is this poison. It burns a lot. It feels like there is a sun in my stomach…" He opened his mouth to curse but paused. He placed a hand over his tummy. "Warm. My face feels warm, and my head is already spinning." He looked at the wine pouch with a smile. "Thiiisissniice." He smiled as the warmth of the firewine filled his body. "I liikeeitt."
He sat back in the chair and looked at Daikish."You and I are very similar, which is why you have been learning the earth form. Remember until you master it properly you need to be drunk. This is the first form, earth rise."
"I musstconncenntrattee." He stopped his head from moving with his hands and focused on her movements. He watched her as her staff fell out of her hand and bounced on the ground. "Eassy, I cann do that." He smiled.
"Watch my hand…" He watched as dirt and earth rose into her hand until an earthen staff was formed. His mouth fell open. "You really are a demon."
"On my hand is a small earth battery in the shape of a ring idiot..."
He watched as she spun and twirled the staff around her. "One day you'll be able to do this without a battery, you can alter the length and thickness of the staff, also its weight."
He focused all his attention on her as she altered the shape of the staff from touching the walls of the room, to being as long as her finger. She then stopped her movements and formed the earthen staff into a normal length. "Now this is the form watch me carefully and put each step into your mind."
He sat in silence watching Daikish move into the first position holding the staff like a fishing pole."Wishing bowl. It follows the movements of a long sword, but instead of stabbing or slicing body parts off. It pushes them away and towards you." He nodded as she used the staff as a sword twisting and turning.
"Sleeping mountain. Is the ultimate defense. It uses the opponent's energy in their attacks against them. They are damaged from their own attack as the energy is stored and released as if you are a giant spring."
"Shadow snake. It's the ultimate attack. By holding the butt of the staff, you can move the end so fast that the shadow doesn't form, and you can twist and make the end bend and move like a snake." He sighed as Daikish suddenly moved and holding the butt of the staff making it move like it was a living snake.
He sat in confusion as she sat on the ground with her legs crossed. "Why are you sitting? It seems the form is incomplete."
"The final part of the form is called mind over staff and will ever only be taught to a single apprentice." He looked at her in confusion as she let the earthen staff go.
"What the? How are you doing that?" His mouth fell open as the earthen staff moved and floated around her. He scratched his head.
"This is the beginning stage of it. As you work on improving your mind over staff, you'll be able to do more technical stances without even touching the staff, as an earthen staff is connected to you."
He looked into her eyes as she smiled. "The person who taught me was able to use several earthen staffs at the same time, however I'm only able to use two at most." He watched the earthen staff stop moving and fell to the fall crumbling into nothing.
He sat in silence as she sat opposite him.
"As you begin, you need to use the earth batteries, but when you become stronger, you'll be able to use it without any batterys. This is for you." He whistled picking up the ring she put on the table. "Inside the ring is a small battery. By the time the charge is empty you should be one with the staff."
"That is amazing, ummm when do I start learning that?"
He looked at her with eagerness all over his body. "When you go on your priest trial, you'll learn about it then…" She wobbled in her chair slightly with a slight frown."Until then I can't say more."
His heartbeat faster when she looked at him in the eyes and smiled. "I hoped to have been the one to send you on your trial, but the Supreme has mentioned I need to move in haste." He sat in silence as she took a drink from her wine pouch.
"All I can do is show you this final form and hope that we'll meet again."
He watched her stand and walk to the door. "Are you leaving already?" He sat staring at her back. She faced him as she opened the door. "Enjoy your night here. I think you'll be able to find some company tonight. Remember your training, and if you ever forget what you have seen…"
A sudden blast of cold killing intent washed over him causing him to freeze in fear, and he looked at her. "I won't forget this night and will practice the forms until mastered."
He watched the door close behind her and he hit the table and cursed loudly."Why is she like this. An evil woman bent on my pain, and she treats me so kind. What's going on?"
The door opened again, and this time the tavern girl came walking in closing the door behind her. He sat smiling as she removed her top and bit her lower lip.