"What's a Fluxxara?" Kayden asked at random, it was something he had never heard more read off in the books, the rest of the men kept quiet, he looked at them expectantly but they all looked away
"It's a myth, a story mother used to scare children" Tharros responded, he walked towards the man who sat on the ground covered in fear, "Get him up Boys, we have a different destination in mind" he called out.
"We aren't going back to the Thunder clan?" Kayden asked, suddenly surprised, he hadn't expected detours on missions, Tharros looked back at him knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"You're probably thinking it's against the code to stray from the mission but tell me something boy..." Tharros spoke
"Would you rather go back to the clan and report your findings or would you rather sojourn to the water clan, telling them about what we discovered?"
"Could you imagine the possible devastation and death that would happen if just one of that damned blub of blackened blood got into a body of water, much less the water of the water clan which flows across the realm?" Tharros asked
Kayden was speechless, he had to admit that he hadn't thought that far, the only thought on his mind was his immediate survival and loyalty to the clan, he hadn't thought about how the realm would be affected by their discovery.
"You hear me, men? We move towards the Water clan, to the women that purify the water we drink, legend has it that the maidens of the tribe wear nothing but silk" he shouted, and the men followed in laughter.
"And I'll be damned if some blackened Fluxxara got in my way" his voice boomed towards the forest as he picked up the weapon, the others did so.
"Set up camp men, tomorrow we head south" his voice thundered, and so did the voice of his men, Kayden looked at them in confusion then at Thane.
"Why?" He asked with a frown on his face
"Why not" Thane said laughing, Kayden was as confused as any man had a right to be.
"I thought it was for the realm, not to see naked women clad in silk" he complained.
"Have you had a woman yet?" Thane asked randomly
Kayden scowled at him, he preferred keeping his inability to find a woman as another curse of his, "You know I haven't" he replied.
"Then you wouldn't understand, men need motivation, whatever it may be Kayden and for these men, women in silk dresses with water pairing down them seemed to do the trick," he said chuckling.
"Boy, come over here" Tharros called out from across the camp, Kayden looked at Thane one last time before patting him on the back.
"Yes Master, you called me," Kayden said as he approached.
"Follow me and you can stop with the formalities, you have saved my life once," Tharros said in a bout to sound honorable.
"Alright, Tharros!" Kayden said with a smile
"So fast" he scowled at the boy.
After they had gotten a few meters away from camp, Tharros found a rock and sat on it, then dropped his blade by the side.
"Take out your blade, swing it for me" he commanded, by the tone of his voice, Kayden knew Tharros was serious, he pulled out his saber blade and took his stance.
He breathed in and out and took a single swing of his saber, a high pitched sound could be heard as Kayden slashed the air in front of him, Tharros watched him for a moment then stood up and turned around to a different angle.
"Again" he commanded.
Kayden tensed his body, without applying soul essence he swung against as sharply as he did the first time, but his balance was slightly off, it was still an impressive strike but not as good as the first.
"Another" Tharros called out.
Kayden obeyed and did his best to slash in a vertical line, as smoothly as possible, it was an impressive strike, so far as mundane humans could manage but in the world of cultivation, it was the bare minimum.
Tharros began walking around Kayden as he told him to perform strikes at the air, making him change forms and striking at uncomfortably weird angles, Kayden did it all without any complaints until Tharros picked up his Odachi blade and pointed the top towards Kayden.
"You want to fight me? I'm just a second-rate warrior" Kayden backed out, he had seen Tharros fight, it was a deadly thing to behold, they called him the mad dancer, and his movements couldn't be stopped neither could they be predicted.
"Fight you?" He laughed
"Heavens no boy, I need to correct something I observed about you," he said then took his stance.
"Correct some..." He was still talking when the attack came, faster than he expected, Tharros performed a single diagonal slash as Kayden, but its strength was unlike anything Kayden had ever experienced, luckily the blade was sheathed
"Damn it Tharros, a little warning please" Kayden struggled to get to his feet, Tharros cocked his head in surprise then in confusion.
"I saw you fighting, you certainly seemed much stronger than you are now, did you perhaps drink an elixir before battle?" Tharros asked, after a moment's hesitation Kayden nodded, he knew he couldn't go around telling others he couldn't use the Harmonious sphere and had replaced it with something unknown.
"Well, I won't take a step from here, move me Kayden Arcanus" Tharros called out, at the mention of his full name Kayden's face darkened, and his mood instantly grew sour, he hated being called his last name, it was a constant reminder of what he could have been but isn't.
Copying his skill, Kayden moved in his a diagonal slash, steel rung in the cold air as Tharros easily blocked his attack, Kayden began attacking relentlessly, looking for openings and slacks he could take advantage of, he faked a low attack to Tharros's knee only to get blocked from above.
And Tharros still hadn't moved a step, feeling his pride getting hurt, Kayden poured in some of his essence into his feet and hands, he immediately bolted at fast speeds towards Tharros, he was sure he would push him back.
Tharros simply bent his upper body low and took the full brunt of the attack, he didn't waver, neither did he fall, his foot remained where it had been but Kayden lay on the ground, arms aching with a wounded pride.
"Do not easily be moved by provocations, it will be the end of you" Tharros said as he picked up the saber lying on the ground close to Kayden, then he stabbed his Odachi into the ground where Kayden lay.
"This suits you much better, especially with that form of yours," Tharros said as he walked away, leaving Kayden alone who lay flat down, clawing at the ground.