The Emerging Part I: Dream

The Pentad awakens from their fitful rests. They look at one another with anticipation in their eyes. Nervousness on the edge of their minds. They fumble with their armor as they dress.

Hawk rubs his eyes constantly, trying to rub away the images that continue to flood his mind. His dreams of late have haunted him throughout his entire day. Bags grow under his eyes. He blinks but sees after images of the Daijoks before him. He relives overhearing them. ‘He will be extraordinary,’ Hawk hears constantly in his head.

Desert laces his boots and ties them tight. He checks his breast plate. He checks his sword. He checks his hammer. He feels his okit surging inside of him. He performs the ritual again, trying to block out the memory of his latest haunting nightmare. A dark despair settles over his heart. He rubs his chest.

Santhemum quickly dons her armor and sits contently in a chair by her bed. She cross her legs and places her hands on top of one another on top of her right knee. She meditates on the motions of her swordsmanship and sigo training through her mind.

Fox methodically prepares his armor. He wields his short swords for a moment, feeling their weight. A comfortable weight he feels entirely accustomed to as he sheathes his blades.

Pork dresses the quickest of them all and observes the others. He glares at Hawk with anger building in his heart. He glances a nod at Desert. He steals glances at Santhemum, trying not to stare. He glares at Fox with anger surging in his mind.

The Pentad slowly walks out of their room and head towards the Gallery. Their stomachs flutter with butterflies. Their eyes stare at their feet. Fellow Rniti passing them clap the Pentad’s backs with encouragement, but the Pentad hears none of it.

The Pentad arrives at the Gallery where they sit at the closest open seating on a bench to their right. Hawk, Santhemum, and Fox sit next to each other as Desert and Pork sit opposite them.

They each fill their plate but barely consume any of the food. They can feel their fellow Rniti’s energy buzzing around them. Hawk looks around him constantly. He feels Raptor is near. He spots the old Rniti speaking with Vaiqon at the far end of the Gallery, near the other door.

Hawk quickly looks back at his plate. Santhemum notices Hawk’s odd behavior. Concern wafts over her face. She leans her head in close to Hawk’s bowing head.

“Are you alright, Hawk?” her velvet voice streams into his ear.

Hawk turns his head to his right. He stares into Santhemum’s green eyes. He nods, “Just nervous is all. I feel this training before us is very important.”

“I have never seen you nervous before, Hawk. It’s rather adorable,” Santhemum says, her cheeks flushing.

Hawk turns away not noticing Santhemum’s cheeks. “Well, anyone can get nervous.”

Santhemum nods as she places a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Before she finishes chewing, she places another forkful of eggs into her mouth, determined not to embarrass herself.

The Pentad finishes their breakfast as they then make their way to the rings where Vaiqon stands, waiting for them. Vaiqon watches as the Pentad slowly makes their way to the ring. He can feel their apprehension and smiles warmly as they enter the ring.

“Good morning, Pentad!” Vaiqon greets warmly. “As Firose informed you yesterday, you will be subjected to a series of events that will test all of your skills. To pass these tests will prove your worthiness to become Keer.

“Each level of Rniti has its own Serial Event to prove worthiness. Each serial is conducted by the next level above the Rniti being tested. So, being Ummkoniyos, you would normally be faced with Keer, but, being these are less than fortunate circumstances, you must be faced with Jayyojjeks,” Vaiqon concludes.

Firose, Oukton, Jtoon, and Raptor appear out of thin air. Santhemum smiles at Firose and nearly waves before noticing Firose’s stern expression. Desert and Pork nod to Oukton and Jtoon.

“Pentad,” Vaiqon continues, “you will be faced with a series of events, some individual, some will be a group effort. These events will test your mental and physical capabilities. There will be a total of five events. The first of which will test your defensive skills. Each of you must endure a three minute session with Firose attacking you. You are only allowed to block, parry, and evade.

“Hawk, you are first,” Vaiqon says with a smirk and a twinkle in his eye.

Vaiqon and Raptor lead the rest of the Pentad, Oukton, and Jtoon outside the fence of the third ring. Hawk turns to face Firose who has already drawn her weapon. A slender, double-edged sword, slightly curved back on itself. A handle curving around Firose’s hand for added stability.

“Begin,” Vaiqon shouts.

Firose wastes no time in attacking Hawk with vicious, powerful strikes, utilizing her superior skill against Hawk. Firose brings a strike down upon Hawk’s left arm. Hawk moves to block the attack, but sees Firose feint and bring her blade to Hawk’s right arm. Hawk quickly redirects his blade to block Firose’s blade in the nick of time. Hawk feels the vibrations of the collision through his hand before parrying Firose and retreating a few steps. Firose smiles at Hawk approvingly before her expression turns stern and charges at Hawk again. Firose swings her sword hard sideways at Hawk’s right side. Hawk quickly blocks the strong attack, feeling the vibrations echo through his arms. Faster than a blink, Firose retreats her blade and swings it at an angle down upon Hawk’s left shoulder. Hawk jumps to his right, dodging the attack. Hawk watches as Firose is not impeded by Hawk’s sudden dodge and continues her momentum to attack Hawk on his right side. Hawk dodges again, jumping backward. He nearly loses his balance but composes himself as Firose drives the point of her sword at Hawk’s stomach. Hawk parries the attack away and regains his balance completely. He turns his feet, ready for another attack.

“Stop!” Vaiqon’s voice rings out. “Hawk, you have passed your first event. Desert, you are next.”

Hawk sheathes his sword as he and Desert exchange places. Hawk hangs on the fence, breathing deeply.

Desert stares at Firose. He wields his hammer, ready for Firose to attack.

“Begin!” Vaiqon shouts.

Firose immediately pounces on Desert, swinging her sword quickly, quietly, and powerfully. Desert blocks all of Firose’s attacks, surprise registering on Firose’s face. Firose backs away a few feet, reading Desert’s stance. Desert stands with his feet at shoulder width, his right side turned towards her, his hammerhead pointed at her. She notices he has exposed the left side of his midsection. Firose smirks before charging again. She feints a strike at Desert’s head, forcing him to swing his hammer upward, before she spins and brings the blade hard into Desert’s left side abdomen. Desert grunts at the impact and quickly swings his hammer to knock away Firose’s blade. Firose is knocked unbalanced for a moment before regaining her footing. She gazes at Desert with a smirk. She charges again. She swings at Desert’s left arm, turns, and swings at Desert’s right leg. Desert quickly jumps over the blade and brings his hammer down upon Firose’s blade, disabling it into the ground. Firose glares at Desert before slamming her elbow into Desert’s temple, forcing him to retreat and taking his hammer away from Firose’s sword.

“Stop!” Vaiqon exclaims. “Desert, you should consider yourself fortunate Firose did not strike you in the stomach when you left yourself exposed. Nonetheless, you have passed the first event. Santhemum, you are next.”

Desert holds his head as he and Santhemum exchange places. Santhemum wastes no time in drawing her blades and facing Firose with fury in her eyes. Firose smiles at Santhemum and hears Vaiqon’s voice.

Firose attacks Santhemum and is not surprised to find Santhemum easily defending herself. Firose attacks with fire and fury, trying to break through Santhemum’s guard, but finds herself stopped at every turn, every strategy turned against her. She wonders if Santhemum observing from the sidelines prepared her much more than Hawk or Desert. Soon, Firose sees an opening at Santhemum’s right leg. Firose capitalizes on the split second exposure but finds herself led into a trap. Santhemum quickly removes her leg, and brings both of her blades down onto Firose’s blade, directing it into the ground. Firose’s blade sticks fast into the ground half the length of her blade. She stares at Santhemum who remains in a defensive position. Firose pulls on her blade to find it glued in place. Firose throws her hands up.

“Stop!” Vaiqon shouts. “Santhemum, that was very impressive. Fox, you are next.”

Santhemum smiles at Vaiqon and nods to Fox as she and Fox exchange places. Fox faces Firose who is still trying to draw her blade out of the ground. Oukton rushes to her, connects to his okit, and helps Firose retrieve her blade.

Firose then faces Fox with a hard glare. Fox swallows, but draw his short swords, ready for Firose to attack. Fox hears Vaiqon’s voice and swallows again. Firose attacks in a flash and is upon Fox. Fox blocks and parries Firose’s blade that narrowly misses his head. He turns as he throws Firose away from him, waiting for Firose to attack again. Firose forgets all strategy as she sends a barrage of attacks at Fox’s arms, then his legs, then a few strikes at his head, and ends with a massive stab at Fox’s gut. Fox blocks, parries, and dodges most of them, receiving only a few nicks on his forearms and thighs. He pants as he catches his breath, watching Firose with intensity. Firose stands in a pose ready to pounce again.

“Stop!” Vaiqon’s voice sounds. “You have done splendid, Fox. Pork, your turn has come at last.”

Fox sheathes his blade. As he walks past Pork, he stumbles. He glares at the back of Pork’s head. Pork stares at Firose as he takes position across from her. Firose’s glare has not eased. Her eyes flare. Pork draws his sword.

Vaiqon’s voice enters Firose and Pork’s ears. Firose springs into action. As she nears Pork, she begins assaulting Pork with blinding speed, but, feinting the entire time. Pork becomes baffled as each time he moves to block Firose’s blade, he finds nothing but air to meet his sword. Soon, he begins to tire, moving quickly and exerting more energy to stop his blade rather than merely letting it collide with another blade. Firose notices Pork’s exhaustion and changes her strategy to exploit Pork’s entirely exposed left side. Firose strikes hard at Pork’s left shoulder, then his left thigh, and finally, his left side rib cage. Pork feels his breath leave him, but remains standing. He feels blood seeping from cuts on his shoulder and thigh. He feels a bruise already forming on his ribs. He sees Firose swinging at him again. He somehow summons the strength to bring his blade up to block Firose’s blade just inches away from his face.

“Stop!” Vaiqon says. “Pork, you have passed the first event, but, unfortunately, you have performed the worst and must perform the second event first. But, alas, the second event is a group event. You may choose one or more of your Pentad to accompany you. And, this event primarily focuses on attacking.”

Pork struggles a smile. Panting, trying to forget the pain that is wreaking havoc on his body. He says, “Desert,” without hesitation.

Desert smiles as he hops the fence and stands at Pork’s left side. Desert and Pork watch as Firose exchanges places with Oukton and Jtoon. Desert and Pork glance at one another. A smirk on each of their face.

Desert speaks quietly, “Pork, how are your ribs?”

Pork nods, “They are fine. My shoulder is the worst of my fears.”

“Very well, I will make sure none of their attacks strike your shoulder.”

Pork smiles slightly before Vaiqon’s voice enters his mind.

“Now, for this second event, you and your partner must endure a six minute bout with Oukton and Jtoon. They will only attack if you leave yourself exposed. Though this event focuses on attack, it is also about endurance. Now, Begin!” Vaiqon exclaims.

Desert and Pork approach their opponents as mirror images. Desert clutches his hammer with both of his hands, Pork wields his sword in his right hand. Pork breathes deeply, trying to control his breathing. Then, Desert sprints at Oukton, throws a few blows, and retreats to Pork’s left side. Pork blinks at Desert’s speed. Desert glances at Pork with a smirk before pouncing at Jtoon and is back at Pork’s right side in a matter of seconds. Oukton and Jtoon remain unscathed and unperturbed by Desert’s antics. Their faces expressing boredom. Pork attacks suddenly, surprising even Desert. Pork strikes at Oukton, feints, spins, and brings his sword at Jtoon’s face, leaving his left side wholly exposed. Oukton observes Pork’s left side unguarded and swings to attack, but finds Desert’s hammer blocking him. Desert then drives his hammer at Oukton’s head, forcing him to retreat. Desert then swings his hammer at Jtoon’s right side, forcing Jtoon to break away from Pork to block Desert’s hammer. Pork seizes the opportunity to pounce on the slightly disoriented Oukton. Pork lands a strike on Oukton’s stomach, effectively ending Oukton’s participation in the duel. Jtoon observes this and lowers his blade just enough for Desert to break his guard and Desert drives his hammer into Jtoon’s now exposed stomach. Desert dispatches Jtoon, forcing Jtoon to the ground.

“Stop!” Vaiqon yells. “According to the rules established long ago, a blow to the stomach in any Rniti duel effectively ending the duel, Desert and Pork have passed the second event.

“Now, Fox, having performed the first event with the second worst effort, you are next. Please choose one or more of your Pentad to accompany you.”

Fox looks between Hawk and Santhemum. “Hawk and Santhemum,” Fox says confidently.

“Very well,” Vaiqon says, “you three must endure a nine minute bout with Oukton and Jtoon.”

Hawk, Santhemum, and Fox approach the center of the ring where Oukton and Jtoon stand ready for them already in defensive poses.

“Begin!” Vaiqon shouts.

Hawk wastes no time in charging at Jtoon. Santhemum attacks Oukton. Fox remains behind, but slowly approaches the fighting pairs. Hawk throws blow after blow at Jtoon with his axe, trying to break his guard, but Jtoon then throws Hawk away to only find Fox in Hawk’s place throwing strike after strike with his dual short swords. Oukton has great difficulty blocking Santhemum’s attacks, but seizes on the smallest opening at Santhemum’s armpit and stabs at her, feeling flesh on his blade. Santhemum gasps and winces at the pain, she backs away as Hawk takes her place. Oukton blinks at the appearance of Hawk, but effectively blocks Hawk’s first strike at his chest. Fox strikes, spins, strikes, and spins again, trying to break through Jtoon’s guard. Jtoon blocks every attack, looking for any opening in Fox’s quick attack. He notices Fox has exposed his right thigh. Jtoon tries to capitalize on the opening, but is deflected by Santhemum’s sword instead. Jtoon smiles at the two Ummkoniyos as he prepares himself for a dual onslaught. Santhemum and Fox charge, Santhemum on Jtoon’s right, Fox on Jtoon’s left. Jtoon expertly knocks aside both sets of attacks, moving quicker than they can believe possible. Oukton matches Hawk pound for pound. Hawk appears bored as he attacks at the well-guarded Oukton. Hawk’s eyes though, flicker all around Oukton, looking for an opening. Hawk sneaks a peek at Santhemum and Fox to witness the dual onslaught. Hawk smirks before grimacing as a slash from Oukton makes contact on Hawk’s right arm. Hawk swears to himself and just as Oukton is recovering from the quick slash, Hawk brings his axe hard into Oukton’s suddenly exposed stomach. Hawk turns just in time to see Jtoon moving faster than a blink and throwing Santhemum and Fox away from him. Hawk then charges and just as Jtoon hears Hawk’s thudding behind him, Hawk ducks to his left, brings the handle of his axe into Jtoon’s right rib cage, and brings his axe head directly into Jtoon’s stomach. Jtoon doubles over.

“Stop!” Vaiqon says, “Excellent! Hawk, Santhemum, Fox, you have all passed the second event. But, unfortunately, the third event is a group event that requires all of you to participate in.”

Vaiqon motions for Desert and Pork to join the rest of the Pentad in the center of the ring. Desert stands at Hawk’s left side and Pork stands at Desert’s left side. Santhemum stands to Hawk’s right as Fox stands to Santhemum’s right.

“Now,” Vaiqon begins, “the third event will test your zoltind defensive skills. You must not be pushed back past that line.” At that moment, Oukton carves a line in the earth just ten yards behind the Pentad. “In this event, Firose, Oukton, and Jtoon will use their respective connections to attack you. You must work together to prevent yourselves from being pushed back in any way possible without attacking. If one of you is pushed behind the line, that person is prohibited from participating any further. You must endure fifteen minutes. Now, begin!”

Immediately, Firose, Oukton, and Jtoon send their respective connections rocketing at the defenseless Pentad. Firose’s fire stream is redirected from Fox’s head by Santhemum’s hand and fired into the air. Oukton sends seismic energy pulsing through the ground, forcing the Pentad to stand on shaking ground. Desert and Pork counteract the quake with their own seismic energy, rebounding Oukton’s seismic energy away from the Pentad. Jtoon fires a water bomb careening with astounding force towards Hawk. Hawk reacts quickly to create an air sphere, to catch the bomb, and to force the bomb to the ground a safe distance away from the Pentad. Oukton summons a massive slab of earth he fires at the Pentad. The slab is big enough to slam into all of the Pentad if it were to collide with them. Desert and Pork react quickly to raise a protective wall of earth in front of the Pentad, but the force behind the fast moving slab is greater than they anticipated. The earthen wall is demolished instantly, the shock wave blows over the Pentad, forcing them to stumble. Fox is thrown mercilessly, landing three yards behind the carved line.

“Fox, you are prohibited from returning to aid the Pentad,” Vaiqon shouts. “Twelve minutes remaining!”

The Pentad finds themselves slowly being forced back. They know they have lost at least three yards. Oukton summons an earth bomb, Firose adds her own fire to it, and Jtoon ignites the bomb with ice. The bomb lands just before the Pentad, exploding brilliantly. Hawk conjures a powerful air current and contains the blast. Before Hawk can eradicate the danger of the bomb, Firose lets loose another fire stream directed at Hawk’s head. Santhemum dives in front of Hawk as Desert and Pork stomp the ground to raise steps of earth to potentially slow the fire stream down. Oukton stomps the ground as well, sending shattering seismic waves through the earth and exploding the earthen steps. Santhemum catches the fire stream in her hand, but is thrown backward by the momentum. She lands six yards behind the line.

“Santhemum you are prohibited from returning to aid the Pentad,” Vaiqon yells, “Nine minutes remaining!”

Firose summons a giant fire wall behind her which she then uses to fuel a streaking fire blast she aims at Hawk’s head. Pork summons a thick earthen wall just in time to block the fire blast, but not strong enough to extinguish the flames. The fire continues as Oukton and Jtoon release ice-covered boulders at the three remaining members of the Pentad. Desert punches at each boulder, forcing them to explode. He misses one that collides with Pork’s earthen wall, causing it to explode. Hawk summons a wind wall to contain the blast, but is not quick enough to absorb all of the shock wave. Pork is sent flying nine yards behind the line.

“Boar, you are prohibited from returning to aid the Pentad,” Vaiqon shouts. “Six minutes remaining!”

Firose, Oukton, and Jtoon pause their attacks to regroup. Hawk and Desert look at one another. They see they are only three yards from the line. They nod to each other. They try to run forward, but find their legs on shaky ground. Oukton smiles as he watches Hawk and Desert faltering in their steps. Jtoon seizes the momentary advantage Oukton has provided to unleash a torrent of ice aimed at the two remaining members of the Pentad. Desert sees the incoming ice but cannot gain solid enough footing to stop it. Hawk sees Firose preparing a fire attack and readies himself to unleash an air wall to contain any flame that Firose lets loose. The ice wave comes upon Hawk and Desert, crashing into them. Hawk collapses to one knee, but Desert remains upright for the moment. Firose finally lets loose her fire bomb that zooms towards the Hawk and Desert. Hawk uses his left hand to summon an air sphere to hopefully contain the explosion, but can only summon enough air to protect him as the fire bomb explodes, the shock wave alone sending Desert flying twelve yards past the line.

“Desert, you are prohibited from returning to aid the Pentad,” Vaiqon yells. “Three minutes remaining!”

Hawk pants for breath, ‘Just three minutes left,’ he thinks to himself. ‘Then we all past this third event. What is Firose doing?’

Hawk watches as Firose circles her left arm backwards in a rhythmic circle. Fire follows her hand as a trained pet. Oukton clenches his fists as he squats and wears an expression of great concentration. Jtoon stomps the ground and punches the air rapidly. Ice rises in nearly transparent sheets in front of him. Hawk spins twice, controlling all the air he can and holds it in front of him in a spherical wall. Firose cease her circling and punches her right arm in front of her, the fire accelerating around her body and shooting with blinding speed towards Hawk. The fire and air collide and Hawk turns his back foot to keep him from moving. Jtoon then releases his razor-sharp, icy sheets to cut through the air at Hawk. The sheets slice into the air sphere, forcing Hawk to gasp with the effort to blockade two zoltind forces. He slides back a few inches when suddenly he feels as if the entire land of Munda Luna is shaking. He glances over to see Oukton has risen with his hands now out wide, taut, pulsing the ground with seismic activity. Oukton waves his hands in front of him and Hawk’s eyes go wide as he sees the ground rising and falling before him. He makes a decision. He explodes the air sphere in front of him and uses the momentum to fly upward just before the tidal wave of earth can reach him. Hawk controls the air on the way back down to the earth to land on his feet just inches before the line.

“Time is up!” Vaiqon shouts ecstatically. “Pentad, you have passed the third event! Well done. Now, we move on to the fourth event. This event will test your zoltind attack skills. This event also involves all of you to participate together as one.”

Vaiqon pauses as Desert, Santhemum, Fox, and Pork rejoin Hawk in the center of the ring. Vaiqon can see the exhaustion on the Pentad’s faces. He sees Hawk breathing heavily from his latest victory. He sees Pork trying to hide the pain of his wounds. He smirks to himself.

“Now, you will attack Firose, Oukton, and Jtoon and attempt to push them past that line there,” Oukton carves another line in the earth ten yards behind them. “You will have nine minutes to accomplish this task. If you do not, you fail. Now, begin!”

Immediately, Oukton conjures a massive tower of earth encompassing Firose, Jtoon, and himself. The Pentad gape at the tower rising fifty feet in the air. Desert and Pork send seismic waves through the ground and up the tower.

“The tower is hollow,” they say together.

“But it is thick,” Pork says.

“And strong,” Desert states. “Weak attacks and even most of our strongest attacks will not affect it.”

Hawk smiles, “Then we do not attack it.”

Desert, Santhemum, Fox, and Pork stare incredulously at Hawk.

“What are you thinking?” Fox asks.

“The obvious point of attack would be to attack the tower, but, what if we wait for them to withdraw the tower and that is when we surge with all the power we can possibly bide in that time?” Hawk suggests.

Desert scoffs, “There is no guarantee that they will lower the tower. We should think of another plan.”

“No, Hawk’s plan is good. That should be our first plan,” Pork says, surprising Hawk, “but, we should have a backup plan considering Desert is could be right.”

“Do you have any ideas?” Fox asks Pork.

Pork looks away for a moment, gazing at the tower. “Well, the tower is hollow, even all the way to the top.”

“Wait... You are saying he did not cap the tower?” Hawk asks with a smile of glee stretching across his face.

“Yes,” Pork answers, a questioning expression on his face.

“Excellent!” Hawk says. “If they have not withdrawn the tower when we have three minutes remaining, we will smoke them out,” he glances at Santhemum, “and then we will use all the stored energy we have accumulated in the time from here until now, to still force them back.”

“Why do we not try to smoke them out now?” Desert scoffs.

Hawk opens his mouth to respond but closes it quickly. Desert smiles, a small victory cry inside him rages.

“And besides, Firose would just throw the smoke out, she is a sigo as well.”

Hawk looks down, forgetting that fact.

“Six minutes remaining,” Vaiqon’s voice rings out.

Santhemum then acts without warning. She throws a simple ember into the air and directs it into a tiny crevice of the tower. She suddenly ignites the ember to ten fold its size, forcing the tower to crack tremendously. Santhemum glances at her Pentad and smiles. They gape at her.

Soon, each member of the Pentad is sending tiny forces of their connections into any crevice they can find and expanding them to ten and sometimes twenty fold their size. The tower quickly looks as if it is going to collapse until suddenly, it is repaired.

“Three minutes remaining,” Vaiqon’s voice sounds.

Hawk smiles as an idea comes to him. He speaks quickly and watches as his Pentad carries out his plan. They barrage the tower with the same technique as earlier, but just before the tower reaches the state needing to be repaired, Hawk unleashes an air mass confined into a space the size on his clenched fist at the tower’s center.

The tower is struck and instantly collapses from the combination of the barrage of earth, ember, and water expanding and the force of the condensed air mass. Hawk signals and as the smoke dissipates around Firose, Oukton, and Jtoon, the Pentad charges at them with their respective connections surrounding them in an impenetrable, powerful orb.

The Pentad strike their three opponents, exploding their hidden attack outward in a vicious explosion. Firose, Oukton, and Jtoon are sent flying fifteen yards behind the line. Vaiqon and Raptor clap at the Pentad’s efforts.