ALL NOVEL [34] The Third Form
Tanisha was struggling with the large and heavy bag in the back of the caravan. She was getting more heads turned her way this time. She was becoming anxious about why when an older woman in one of the carts complemented her tiara. Tanisha instinctively reached up and touched her antlers with her free hand; the other was holding her warstaff. She was so overwhelmed with Bjorn, the training, and becoming a mage she had forgotten that she now had a fully grown tiara.
In wendigo culture once a woman fully grows out her tiara she decorates it with colored beads, flowers, feathers and other natural accessories. Males sometimes cover theirs in metals, but more as a status symbol. Tanisha panicked inside, as having her tiara bare meant she was looking for a mate or courtship. A suitor would add something colorful to her antlers to show they were interested.
The older woman beckoned to her. “Here young lady.”
She untied a blue feather on a short velvet ribbon from her own antlers and held it out.
“I couldn’t take that, elder,” Tanisha stated.
“Ah, poppycock. I have plenty, see?” The older woman turned her head showing off the many bands, ribbons and feathers on her antlers. “It is thanks to you that I still have my Snorri here.” She patted the hand of an equally old looking man who nodded. “Your potion saved him.”
“Got my hip feeling better too,” the older man added.
“You honor me elder,” Tanisha said with a curt bow.
“So polite, just call me Solveig,” she said as Tanisha finally took the gift. “The last time I saw you, your tiara was not so full.”
“Magic,” Tanisha joked.
The older couple laughed their understanding. Tanisha wasn’t wrong; learning magic could have effects on the body like this, so while it was a joke it was one they would take at face value. Tanisha bowed to the couple again, then tucked the staff under her arm and quickly tied the first accessory to her left antler.
She was grateful to the older couple, but at the same time felt somewhat sad. Normally it would have been her mother or sister that would have given her the first accessory. She had even heard many families would go out together to find a feather and make the accessories. Her former family, being nobles, didn’t do that. They’d just bought the one for her sister, and it had been beautiful.
Tanisha continued her walk, and while she did get the occasional glance now they weren’t as invasive. She could focus on walking, and while she could keep up the pace with everyone else this time, it still sucked. She tried to follow the breathing techniques Joha showed her during the stretches, but that fell through after about an hour.
She noticed that ever since placing points into constitution and dexterity her body felt sturdier and more balanced. She didn’t have to lean on her staff as much as she did the first day, which was also a plus. It made her wonder how much easier it would be if she placed points into strength instead of dexterity.
Another hour in and Tyr saw her. He joined her on her walk. Without Bjorn things felt more awkward around him; or maybe Tanisha was just more aware that she had a full tiara now. She found herself wondering what he thought about it.
“A feather,” Tyr said, his face reddening. “Looks good on you.”
“Thanks,” Tanisha responded with a voice smaller than she intended.
The two were quiet for a few minutes until Tyr asked what happened to her. She gave him a heavily censored version of the previous day's events. She was careful not to mention anything about Bjorn being the child of a True Hydra, or the Lernaean Hydra Pact, or the faulty magic affinity test. In fact there was so much she had to cut out she was pretty sure he thought she was avoiding answering at all.
“Learning to control maya, the demon’s equivalent to mana, will knock you out for a day apparently,” Tanisha said with a nervous laugh. “Anything new with you?”
“No, not really just… I don’t know, taking it all in really,” Tyr said as he looked over the people in front of them. “It is weird, you know, we’re leaving our village due to this war. I know we don’t have a choice, but that was home.” He rubbed the hilt of his sword. “If I was stronger than maybe we wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place.”
“Your father is a warrior, right? Is he teaching you?”
Tyr sighed and bore a complicated expression. “Yeah, me and many others as well. I will have to take up the mantle in a dozen decades or so. Most of his students volunteered to join the army in the frontlines when the war started. Not to mention he sent fifteen swordsmen to guard a convoy of our goods and taxes to Lavi a week ago. In case of bandits or monsters. They’re supposed to be back next week. If we hadn’t sent them I am sure we could have held off the attackers.”
“Do you want to be in the war?” Tanisha asked.
“I have a duty to my village first.” Tyr looked over the convoy. “The war over the holy land is important but I am needed here with my people. If I see one of those tree-fuckers, though, I won’t hesitate to cut them down.” He made a cutting motion with his hand. “What about you?”
“No, I am going with my master out of Yuhia after we leave the fort city,” Tanisha said with a labored breath.
“You’re leaving the country? Where are you going?” Tyr asked.
“I don’t know yet, but it's just me and Bjorn now, so wherever Joha goes I guess,” Tanisha responded with an attempt at a shrug. The weight of the bag made it look more like a head bob. “He hasn’t really said yet, I just know we are leaving. He doesn't want to be in a country at war if he doesn't have to be.”
The sun was setting in the distance as the evening camps were being constructed. The merchants again pitched their tents away from refugees in an area they cleared out for themselves. Tyr was called away by his father to help secure the area while Tanisha joined her camp. Tanisha checked on Bjorn, who was still asleep, then started a firepit while the others prepared their wagons and horses for the night.
There was a notable difference in attitude from the goblins since this morning. They seemed more standoffish even assembling their camp a little further away than normal. No one else seemed to draw attention to it so Tanisha didn’t mention it either. It isn’t like there were any rules about where they have to sleep.
“Tanisha come.” Joha called.
Tanisha quickly lit the fire with her flare stone bunsen burner, picked up her warstaff and combat knife, then chased after Joha as he walked out into the grassland away from the campsite. He exhaled maya that, instead of its normal red hue, was glowing brightly. It floated around him then expanded out, creating a dome of light around their practice area.
Joha helped her through some of the stretching exercises and breathing techniques from that morning. After that she was finally ready to begin.
“There are six unarmed forms of the Way of the Rakshasa,” Joha said as he centered himself. “We will practice the third form: AgniKavach, the Fire Armor form.”
“Why are we skipping?” Tanisha asked.
“The forms are numbered, yes, but the order you learn does not matter. This form will allow you to draw the maya into your muscle and bone for a short time. It is my understanding that wendigo do this naturally with their mana. When this is done with maya…”
He turned around and took a deep breath, then moved into a fighting stance and punched. A shockwave of air blasted out and hit a tree over thirty yards away. The tree was split in half, most of it turning into pulp and splinters.
The tiger demon continued his explanation, “...The effect allows you to utilize maya to further enhance your body. You can also manipulate the world around you to a limited degree. Where the third form shines is in the use as a defensive form. Magic, maya and physical attacks will have a harder time hurting you. Are you ready to begin?”